Militants had stepped up attacks elsewhere in their campaign to subvert landmark legislative elections scheduled for Sept. 10 and the latest U.S. losses were during a major operation against them. Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya, the U.S.-led coalition's operational commander, said the blast would "strengthen, not weaken, the resolve" of the troops to safeguard the polls.

Some 187 U.S. service members have been killed in and around Afghanistan since the start of Operation Enduring Freedom in late 2001 -- including 64 during a rash of insurgent attacks in the past six months, which have also left about 1,000 other people dead.

In southern Kandahar province, gunmen riding motorbikes have carried out a string of attacks on religious leaders who have openly condemned the Taliban and other extremists.

The Japan Times Weekly: Aug. 27, 2005
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