Afghan Taliban Kill 11 Pakistani Travelers

Suspected Afghan Taliban militants have killed 11 Pakistanis who crossed into eastern Afghanistan's Paktia Province to detour around a dangerous part of the border area.

Rohullah Samon, a spokesman for the Paktia governor, said gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying the travelers in Samkani district as they made their way from Kurram to Peshawar via Afghanistan.

Reuters reports that tribesmen frequently take the circuitous Afghan route as the travelers on the direct road linking the two regions often come under attack by Pakistan Taliban.

Separately today, five U.S. soldiers were killed in different attacks by small-arms fire, bombings, and an unspecified "insurgent attack."

Meanwhile, NATO has admitted to accidentally killing six Afghan civilians and wounding several more in Paktia Province on July 8. NATO said the casualties were caused by artillery fire falling short of its target.

The incident occurred just one day after six Afghan soldiers died in a botched NATO airstrike in the Andar district of Ghazni Province.

compiled from agency reports