Two Bloody Attacks Leave U.S. Soldiers, Civilians Dead In Afghanistan

October 16, 2009 9:14 a.m. EST

Kabul, Afghanistan (AHN) - In Afghanistan a deadly roadside bomb blast killed four U.S. service members while two civilians died in the crossfire of military engagement.

According to officials the bomb attack occurred on Thursday somewhere in the southern region of the country. Reports from the area say two soldiers died at the scene and two others succumbed to their injuries and died. However, a Navy spokesman for American forces in Afghanistan said no further information would be released until family members were notified.

In another incident NATO's International Security Assistance Force report that a woman and a young girl were slain in crossfire between security forces and militants in the Ghazni Province. Published reports say that the Afghan national police and international forces were conducting a joint mission in Ghazni when they began facing fire from a two-story building.

After the barrage of bullets from both sides ended military personnel entered the building to find several dead militants and the two civilians, who were wounded.

These latest civilian deaths have invigorated negative sentiment against international and Afghan forces.

"Afghanistan continues to be a dangerous place, and we are genuinely sorry when any Afghan civilians are killed," said Col. Wayne Shanks, a press officer for American and NATO-led forces. "Our operational planning tries to prevent any casualties, but our enemy continues to engage our forces without regard for any Afghan civilians in the area."