30 die in multiple attacks in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- A bombing, airstrikes and clashes between militants and military resulted in 30 deaths in Afghanistan, government and military officials said Wednesday.

The detonation of a bomb planted on a motorbike in Kandahar killed two citizens and injured five Afghan soldiers, the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA reported. A provincial government spokesman said the explosion occurred as a convoy of Afghan troops was passing.

In the southern province of Helmand, militants attacked Afghan soldiers as they were destroying a poppy field, KUNA said, resulting in the deaths of two soldiers. Two foreign civilians were injured.

In the same province, U.S.-led coalition troops said 16 militants died during an airstrike. In a statement issued Wednesday, military officials said coalition forces were reconnoitering an area when attacked by a group of militants.

In Uruzgan province, coalition troops said 10 militants were killed when they attacked a patrol of multinational troops. KUNA reported military sources said one militant was killed by ground fire and nine died in an airstrike.