At least four Afghan policemen and one NATO soldier have been killed in separate incidents in southern Afghanistan.
An Afghan police official, Khan Mohammad, says a police vehicle struck a roadside bomb Saturday killing four officers in the Maywand district of Kandahar province. At least one other policeman was wounded in the bombing.
Elsewhere in Kandahar province today, police say a suicide bomber detonated his explosives near a police checkpost just outside of Kandahar City, wounding at least one police officer and a child.
And the Canadian army today said one of its soldiers was killed in an explosion Friday, while on patrol in Panjwayi District of Kandahar province.
Also today, French Defense Minister Herve Morin made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, to meet with French troops and high-ranking Afghan officials.
Morin is expected to visit some of around 700 French soldiers serving in the Kapisa province, near Kabul.
The French defense minister's visit takes place just a day after two French aid workers were abducted in the town of Nili in central Afghanistan.
Afghan officials Saturday said Afghan security forces were searching for the workers employed by Action Against Hunger.
The Paris-based group says it has suspended all operations in the country following Friday's kidnappings. The group says, to its knowledge, the two are still alive.
No one has claimed responsibility for the abductions.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
