Four Italian soldiers were killed and one was seriously injured in Afghanistan today when a bomb blew up their vehicle, Italian Minister of Defence Ignazio La Russa has confirmed.
The soldiers were attacked near Farah in western Afghanistan while escorting a convoy of civilian trucks.
Terrorists threatening Europe come from these regions, Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said in an e-mailed statement today.
"We are committed to accelerate the transition phase which will give Afghan soldiers the responsibility to control their country," he said. Today's blast brings to 34 the number of Italian soldiers who have died in Afghanistan since 2004.