U.S. soldier killed in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan >> The Latest on violence in Afghanistan (all times local):

10:20 p.m.

The U.S. military says an American soldier was killed and another wounded during a combat operation in eastern Afghanistan.

The military said in a statement that “several” Afghan security forces were killed and wounded in the same operation today.

Gen. John Nicholson, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said “their valiancy in battle, and that of the brave Afghan partners they fought alongside, will endure in our hearts and history.”

The statement says the wounded soldier is in stable condition.

The U.S. and NATO officially concluded their combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014, shifting to a counterterrorism and support role. Afghan security forces have struggled to combat the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate.

IS claimed twin bombings in Kabul today that killed 25 people, including nine reporters.

5:45 p.m.

The BBC says one of its Afghan reporters has been killed in an attack in the eastern Khost province.

The broadcaster says Ahmad Shah, 29, had worked for its Afghan service for more than a year and “had already established himself as a highly capable journalist who was a respected and popular member of the team.”

BBC World Service Director Jamie Angus called it a “devastating loss” and sent his “sincere condolences to Ahmad Shah’s friends and family and the whole BBC Afghan team.” He says “we are doing all we can to support his family at this very difficult time.”

Talib Mangal, spokesman for the provincial governor in Khost, said Shah was shot dead, without providing further details.

He was killed the same day a suicide bomber in the capital, Kabul, killed at least nine journalists.

The attack, claimed by the Islamic State group, was the deadliest to target journalists since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

4:50 p.m.

Romania’ defense minister says eight Romanian troops were wounded in an attack in southern Afghanistan after an explosion hit their vehicle in Kandahar province.

Mihai Fifor says the eight, from the “Carpathian Eagles,” were wounded today when an improvised explosive device went off in the vehicle they were traveling in. A statement from NATO says the explosion occurred when a car bomb detonated in a densely populated area in Daman district.

Earlier, Afghan officials said the bombing targeted a NATO convoy and killed 11 children at a religious school located just by the roadside from where the explosion took place. At least 16 people were wounded, including NATO soldiers, Afghan civilians and policemen.

Gen. John Nicholson, commander of NATO’s Resolute Support mission, said “our thoughts and prayers are with those wounded, and with the innocent Afghans whose lives were needlessly taken from them by the enemies of Afghanistan.”

The statement added that the wounded service members, who are all in stable condition, were taken to Kandahar Airfield’s hospital for treatment.

Nicholson said that “if the enemies of Afghanistan think their cowardly actions will deter the commitment of the brave Afghan forces and our Resolute Support advisers, or the call by the Afghan people for peace, they are sorely mistaken.”

4:10 p.m.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders says at least nine journalists were among those killed in a deadly attack in Afghanistan’s capital, and six were wounded.

Sediqullah Tawhidi, an official with the Afghan Journalist Safety Committee, also confirmed the nine journalist deaths among the 25 people killed in the double suicide bombing today. Tawhidi had only five journalists wounded but conflicting tolls are common in the immediate aftermath of such attacks.

The Paris-based group named the journalists, working for media organizations from multiple countries. It said today’s double suicide bombing by the Islamic State group was the deadliest attack targeting reporters since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

The group, also known by its French acronym RSF, says 36 media workers have been killed in Afghanistan in attacks by the Islamic State group or the Taliban since 2016.

RSF urged the Afghan government to do more to protect journalists. It said in a statement today it is formally appealing to the U.N. secretary general and wants the creation of a special U.N. envoy for protecting journalists.

2:10 p.m.

An Afghan official says a suicide bomber targeting a NATO convoy in southern Kandahar province killed 11 children at a religious school located just by the roadside from where the explosion occurred.

Matiullah Helal, deputy spokesman for the provincial police chief, says today’s attack in Kandahar’s district of Daman also wounded 16 people, including five NATO soldiers, nine civilians and two policemen.

There was no immediate comment from NATO.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy has condemned today’s double suicide bombing in Kabul that killed 25 people, including eight journalists.

The embassy says the U.S. “strongly condemns today’s savage bombings in Kabul. We extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of all the victims, including a number of brave journalists among the dead and injured.”

It added: “Where media are in danger, all other human rights are under greater threat. We stand with the people and government of Afghanistan in their fight against terrorism.”

1:10 p.m.

The Islamic State group has taken responsibility for the double suicide bombing in Kabul this morning that killed 25 people, including eight journalists.

The Afghan affiliate of the militant group, known as Khorasan Province, posted an urgent statement on an IS-affiliate website saying two of its martyrdom seekers carried out the double bombing today targeting the headquarters of the “renegade” Afghan intelligence services in Kabul.

It says the first martyrdom seeker detonated his explosive vest, forcing members of the intelligence service to head to the area of the explosion. The statement says the second martyrdom seeker detonated his explosive vest after that.

The statement did not say that journalists were specifically targeted but exaggerated the attacks’ death toll.

12:45 p.m.

An Afghan media watchdog says eight Afghan journalists have been killed in this morning’s suicide attacks in Kabul that claimed at least 25 lives.

A statement from the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee also says that so far, six journalists have been reported wounded in today’s attacks. The group strongly condemned all attacks against journalists.

The double suicide bombing took place in the central Kabul district of Shash Darak area, which is home to the NATO headquarters and a number of embassies in Afghanistan.

Police say the first bomber was on a motorcycle while the second was on foot, mixing in with a group of reporters who had rushed to the scene of the first bombing.

The fatalities among the reporters included Agence France-Presse’s chief photographer in Kabul, Shah Marai, and also a cameraman for the local Tolo TV station.

12:25 p.m.

An Afghan spokesman has confirmed that five journalists working for local media have been killed, along with an AFP photographer, in this morning’s suicide attacks in Kabul.

The statement brings to six the number of fatalities among journalists in the Kabul bombings today, which left 25 dead.

Wahid Majorh, spokesman for the public health ministry, says there are also wounded journalists among the casualties that have been taken to different hospitals in the Afghan capital. He did not have a total figure. At least 45 people were reported wounded in the attacks.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has strongly condemned the attacks in Kabul. A statement released form the presidential palace says that attacks targeting innocent civilians, worshippers inside the mosques, national and democratic processes, reporters and freedom of speech all are war crimes.

11:20 a.m.

A Kabul police spokesman has raised the casualty toll from the double suicide attacks in the Afghan capital to 25 killed and at least 45 wounded.

The spokesman, Hashmat Stanekzai, says that along with the two journalists killed in the bombings — an AFP photographer and a cameraman for the local Tolo TV station — four policemen were also among those killed.

Stanekzai says the first suicide bomber was on a motor bike while the second attacker was among the crowd of reporters that rushed to the scene of the first attack, pretending to be one of the media.

He added that the second attacker then detonated his explosives while still among the reporters.

10:30 a.m.

An Afghan official says the death toll from the Kabul attacks has now reached 21, with 27 people reported wounded.

Wahid Majroh, the public health ministry’s spokesman, gave the latest casualty tolls for the twin suicide bombings in the Afghan capital.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but both Taliban and Islamic State group are active and have repeatedly claimed attacks in Kabul.

10:15 a.m.

Agence France-Presse has reported that the news agency’s chief photographer in Kabul, Shah Marai, has been killed in the twin suicide attacks in the Afghan capital.

AFP says Marai died in a blast that was targeting a group of journalists who had rushed to the scene of a suicide attack in Kabul.

Sediqullah Tawhidi, an official form the journalist safety committee says that another journalist was among those who were killed in today’s attack. Tawhidi says that a cameraman form the local TOLO TV also was killed.

10 a.m.

An Afghan official says that at least seven people were killed in two suicide bomb attacks in the capital, Kabul.

Wahid Majroh, spokesman for the public health ministry, says 20 other people were wounded in the attack.

Hashmat Stanekzai, spokesman for the Kabul Police chief, says that first bomber was on a motorbike and the second suicide bomber was on foot.

The second attacker was among reporters who had gathered at the scene to cover the attack, added Stanekzai.

9:40 a.m.

An Afghan official says initial reports show at least six people were killed and 14 were wounded in double explosions in central Kabul.

Mohammad Asim, chief of the Kabul ambulance service, said five people were killed and 11 were wounded in the initial blast this morning.

The first explosion was soon followed by another. Police officer Jan Agha at the scene of the blast said a journalist died in the second blast, which also wounded two police officers.

The police chief said the central area of Kabul that was targeted includes foreign offices.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks in Kabul.

9 a.m.

Officials say explosions in central Kabul have killed four people and wounded eight others.

Mohammad Asim, chief of the Kabul ambulance service, said three people were killed and six were wounded in the initial blast this morning.

The first explosion was soon followed by another. Police officer Jan Agha said a journalist died in the second blast, which also wounded two police officers.

The police chief said the central area of Kabul that was targeted includes foreign offices.

More details were not immediately available.

8:45 a.m.

Authorities in Kabul say an explosion has occurred in the center of the Afghan capital and several people were hurt.

Kabul chief of police Dawood Amin says the area hit by the this morning blast includes foreign offices. Amin said the explosion caused casualties.

Mohammad Mousa Zahir, director of Wazir Akbarkhan Hospital, said several people suffering injuries from the blast were being treated at the hospital.

More information was not immediately available.