KANDAHAR, Jan 29: A landmine blast killed nine Afghan soldiers near the border with Pakistan on Saturday. A local army commander told Reuters an Afghan border commander was also wounded when the army vehicle hit the mine near the southern town of Spin Boldak while travelling towards the Pakistan border.

A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack which he said had killed four soldiers.

In a separate incident, two soldiers were killed and two wounded by unidentified gunmen near the eastern town of Khost, the local police chief said.-Reuters