August 07, 2008	Thursday	Sha’aban 4, 1429

KABUL: A US Marine was killed by a bomb while five policemen and several rebels died in new clashes, US and Afghan officials said on Wednesday.

The Marine was badly wounded when the blast hit a military patrol in the province of Farah on Monday, the US-led coalition said.

Three other soldiers were hurt in the blast, which was similar to hundreds carried out by insurgents from the Taliban, in government between 1996 and 2001, or other radical outfits.

Such explosions have killed seven US soldiers this month, with 152 international soldiers losing their lives in Afghanistan this year, mostly in attacks.

A major battle erupted on Wednesday in Farah an opium-producing province on the border with Iran when Afghan security forces escorting a convoy to a military base were ambushed, a police unit commander said.In several hours of fighting, five policemen were killed and three wounded, said Sayyed Farid Bakhtawar.

He said 10 of the attackers had also died, although the government did not have their bodies as proof.

The coalition announced meanwhile that there had also been heavy fighting about 50 kilometres northeast of Kabul in the province of Kapisa.

“Several militants were killed and two were detained on Tuesday during a Coalition forces’ operation to disrupt militant activities in Kapisa province,” it said in a statement.—AFP