Afghan militants stormed a hospital in eastern Paktika province
Wednesday, sparking a gun battle with coalition forces in which at
least 14 attackers were killed and six captured.
Local officials said coalition troops rescued the hospital's staff, and one hospital guard was wounded.
Hours later, NATO said two U.S. troops were killed -- one by an
improvised explosive device in the south and the other in a militant
attack in the east.
In the northern province of Kunduz, a bomb killed the head of the provincial justice department.
Late Wednesday, a rocket exploded in the southern city of Kandahar. No
casualties were reported, but the blast set at least one shop on fire.
The attack occurred a day after a truck bombing in the city killed 43
people, wounded at least 65, and destroyed a hotel and several houses.
Kandahar is a Taliban stronghold, but the group denied any
responsibility for the blast. In a written statement, a Taliban
spokesman said "the group condemns the attack in which innocent
civilians were killed."
Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the bombing, while United
Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed shock and dismay. A
statement from Mr. Ban's office called the attack "a brutal and
senseless act of violence."