Five NATO troops, three Afghans killed

HEART: Two Afghan policewomen and a civilian were killed by a mine on their way to work Thursday, a day after another five NATO soldiers died in the 10-year war against the Taliban.

The policewomen and civilian died when their vehicle was blown up by a remote-controlled mine on their way to work at the civilian airport serving the western city of Herat, officials said.

Three foreign soldiers were also killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) in eastern Afghanistan Wednesday, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said, along with two others in separate incidents.

Mohammad Rafiq Shaheer, a spokesman for Herat hospital, said: "A remote-controlled mine explosion on a police vehicle on the Herat airport road has killed three people, two policewomen and a civilian, and wounded 10 people, four policewomen and a policeman and five other civilians."

He added that the attack took place at around 8:00am.

Noor Khan Neikzad, a police spokesman in Herat, confirmed the blast but said he did not have the toll. (AFP)