Two Spanish soldiers die in Afghan suicide attack

MADRID (Reuters) - Two Spanish soldiers were killed and one was seriously wounded in a suicide attack on Sunday in the south of Herat province in western Afghanistan, a Spanish military spokesman said.

A spokesman for the Italian military, which currently commands NATO forces in western Afghanistan, said the Spanish unit involved had been providing support to Afghan security forces in the area of Shindand, south of Herat.

The latest attack brings to 25 the number of Spanish troops killed in the fight against Taliban insurgents, while the total number of foreign military deaths in Afghanistan since the Taliban government was toppled in late 2001 is over 1,000.

Spain has about 700 military personnel based in Afghanistan, most of them in Herat province.

Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacon will give more details of the attack at a 12:30 p.m. GMT (7:30 a.m. EST) news conference, the Spanish spokesman said.