KABUL, Afghanistan, March 8 (UPI) -- Four Afghan soldiers and two police officers were killed Saturday as they tried to defuse a roadside bomb in Laghman province, officials say.
A spokesman for the provincial governor said the improvised explosive device was found in Mehtarlam, the capital of the province in eastern Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported. Sarhadi Zwak said two members of the security forces were injured by the blast.
Also Saturday, the interior ministry reported that 19 members of the Taliban were killed, seven injured and six taken prisoner during a series of sweeps in the past 24 hours. Officials said that weapons and ammunition seized and two improvised explosive devices were found in a series of sweeps in Nangarhar, Baghlan, Faryab, Kandahar, Herat and Farah provinces.
