Suicide bomber kills 1 Afghan soldier, wounds 5 in eastern Afghanistan

Thursday, January 18th 2007, 6:14 am

By: News On 6

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) _ A suicide bomber detonated his explosives next to Afghan soldiers in an eastern Afghan market Thursday, killing one soldier and wounding three, an official said.

The bomber, who struck at a market in Paktika province's capital, Sharan, also wounded two civilians, said Akram Akhpelwak, Paktika's governor.

Meanwhile, authorities detained two suspected bombers in southern Afghan border town of Spin Boldak on Wednesday. Police stopped their car and discovered suicide vests filled with explosives ready to be used in an attack, said Asadullah Khalid, governor of Kandahar province.

Last year, militant supporters of the resurgent Taliban stepped up attacks, targeting Afghan government and foreign security forces. According to the U.S. military, there were 139 suicide attacks during 2006, up from 27 in 2005.