Afghanistan celebrates Independence Day; 6 killed

Four foreign soldiers and two Afghan security force members were killed Saturday as Afghanistan celebrated its Independence Day amid the bloodiest phase of a Taliban insurgency. Three soldiers with the US-led coalition that is hunting down Taliban and other rebels were killed in the eastern province of Kunar, a coalition spokesman said.
He was not able to immediately provide details of the incident in a known Taliban stronghold or the nationalities of the soldiers. A soldier with Nato's International Security Assistance Force and an Afghan troop were meanwhile killed in a separate clash in the southern province of Uruzgan, a spokesman said.
Three other ISAF soldiers were wounded in the fierce battle that erupted after they came across a "large Taliban force", ISAF spokesman Major Scott Lundy said.
In neighbouring Zabul province meanwhile an Afghan policeman was killed when a roadside bomb struck his police vehicle, an official said. Such bomb attacks are a key feature of the Taliban's guerrilla-like insurgency.
The latest violence came as the country celebrated the 87th anniversary of its independence from Britain, which never fully colonised the Central Asian nation but controlled its foreign affairs for years until 1919.
Afghanistan is trying to establish itself as a democracy after international security forces teamed up with Afghan factions to topple the hardline Taliban government in 2001 for sheltering al Qaeda boss Osama bin Laden.
MULLAH OMAR MESSAGE The message from Omar, who has called on Afghans to support the Taliban in their war to drive out foreign forces from the country, came on the 87th anniversary of Afghanistan's independence from Britain.
It was read to Reuters over a satellite phone by a Taliban spokesman, Mohammad Hanif. "Celebrating Afghan Independence Day would amount to self-deception at a time when the infidel forces of the entire world have occupied the country," the message said.
"It is madness to celebrate Independence Day or to raise the national flag when the country is occupied. Rise against the infidel forces and help Taliban in the Jihad (holy war) to free Afghanistan from the slavery of the occupiers."