Suicide Bomber Targets Finnish Peacekeepers in Afghanistan
Finnish peacekeepers in Afghanistan.
Image: YLE
A suicide car bomber targeted a patrol of Finnish peacekeepers in northern Afghanistan on Friday morning. The Finns were not hurt in the attack.
However, their patrol car was damaged by the explosion.
A group of six Finnish peacekeepers was driving from Mazar-i-Sharif airport back to base when a vehicle driving towards them. The oncoming vehicle's driver died in the blast.
Finnish patrols have been attacked numerous times, most recently on June 19 in Sherber-Zhan. This was the third attack on a Finnish patrol vehicle since 2007. In April a rocket struck close to a building in the capital Kabul housing Finnish peacekeepers.
The main contingent of 110 Finnish peacekeepers participating in the ISAF operation is being beefed up with 100 more soldiers ahead of Afghan elections next month.
YLE