KABUL, April 24: One Afghan soldier was killed and another was injured when their vehicle struck a mine near the southern city of Kandahar although it remains unclear whether the blast was an accident or a deliberate attack, a US military spokeswoman said on Sunday.

The explosion occurred in Arghandab district on the outskirts of the city around 5:30pm (1300 GMT)

“There was no visible enemy in the area. Coalition forces were involved in a medical evacuation by helicopter,” Lieutenant Cindy Moore told AFP.