GHAZNI CITY (PAN): Two Polish troops were wounded in a militant attack on an under-construction base of Afghan and foreign troops in the Andar district of southern Ghazni province on Thursday, an official said.

The attack took place in the Seena village before noon, the district chief, Sher Khan Yousafzai, told Pajhwok Afghan News. The attackers, who used heavy and light weapons, were engaged by the joint force.

As a result of the attack, two foreign troops were wounded, the district chief said, without commenting on the nature of their injuries.

The joint base is being constructed to improve security on the Ghazni-Paktika highway. The Seena village is situated three kilometres south of the Andar district centre on the highway.

A resident of the village, Muhammad Rafiq, said the clash lasted one hour and ended when helicopters arrived at the scene.

In a separate incident, a tank of Polish troops was damaged by a roadside bomb explosion, according to Yousafzai, who said the troops remained unhurt.

As usual, Taliban asserted responsibility for the attack, with rebel spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid saying the fighters inflicted heavy casualties on foreign and Afghan forces.

Poland has 2,600 soldiers in Afghanistan within the framework of ISAF. At least 19 of them have been killed so far.

ma/mud