Two US Marines Killed in Southern Afghanistan

By VOA News 12 July 2009

US Marines dismount from their vehicles during battle against Taliban fighters near Now Zad in Afghanistan's Helmand province, 20 Jun 2009

The U.S. military says a roadside bomb killed two U.S. Marines Saturday in Afghanistan's volatile south, where U.S. and British troops continue their offensive to oust Taliban insurgents from the region.

Military officials initially reported four U.S. Marines had died in the attack in Helmand province, but they later corrected the figure, saying the same incident had been reported twice by mistake.

A third U.S. soldier serving with NATO-led forces in the south died Friday from wounds received in combat last month.

The U.S. deaths came a day after eight British soldiers were killed in Helmand in a 24-hour period.

More than 190 foreign troops have died in Afghanistan this year, which is on pace to be the deadliest since U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban from power in late 2001.

Meanwhile, Afghan officials say coalition forces and local police killed 12 suspected militants in Uruzgan province Saturday.

Officials say the clashes took place hours after fighting in the area left some 19 militants dead.

Elsewhere, a roadside bomb killed four police officers in Logar province. Another roadside bomb killed two Afghan police officers in Helmand province.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.