KANDAHAR, Dec 16: Three US Marines were seriously injured in an explosion at Kandahar airport in southern Afghanistan on Sunday.

One lost a foot and part of his leg and was flown directly to a US military hospital in the Gulf region, making him the first serious injury the Marines have suffered since landing in Afghanistan three weeks ago.

“The explosion occurred at around 2pm when one of the Marines stepped on a mine when they were trying to clear old ordinance at the Kandahar airport they took over on Friday,” Gul Lalai a commander of tribal force loyal to the governor Kandahar Gul Agha Sherzai said who was responsible for supervising security arrangements at the entrance of the airport.

He said that within no time emergency vehicles were rushed to the scene. Later, US helicopters were seen taking the wounded Marines to the Rhino Camp established by the US forces near an air base in the desert some 90km south of Kandahar.

Sources in Kandahar said thousands of land mines were still laying around Kandahar airport.