KANDAHAR, Oct 14: Two Nato soldiers were killed in Afghanistan on Saturday, while a governor escaped an assassination attempt and officials reported 12 more deaths in Taliban-linked violence.

Another three International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) soldiers were wounded in the attack in the southern province of Kandahar, the force said without releasing the nationalities of the troops.

The soldiers were attacked by rocket propelled grenades and small arms, a statement said. “ISAF troops returned fire with small arms and artillery and called in close air support.”

The governor of the eastern Laghman province told AFP earlier he had survived an attack on his two-vehicle convoy as he was travelling to work.

The front vehicle hit a mine and attackers then opened fire on the stricken convoy, killing an administration official, governor Gulab Mangal said.

“A bomb struck under our front vehicle. Then we had some shots and our friend was hit. I was in the second vehicle,” he said.

A Taliban spokesman, Mohammad Hanif, told reporters: “We planted the mine. We fired the gunshots.”

Gunmen have kidnapped an Italian photojournalist in the lawless southern heartland of the Taliban, news reports and aid workers said on Saturday.

The abduction of Gabriele Torsello, is yet to be confirmed by Italian authorities in Rome or Kabul.

Mr Torsello was seized by five gunmen on the highway from the capital of Helmand province to neighbouring Kandahar province,the independent Pajhwok news agency quoted travelling companion Gholam Mohammad saying.

Pajhwok said its call to Mr Torsello’s mobile phone was answered by a man saying: “We are the Taliban and we have abducted the foreigner on charges of spying.”—Agencies