Kiwis under fire in Afghanistan

New Zealand soldiers serving in Afghanistan have come under enemy fire for the second time in five months after they were attacked by insurgents yesterday, the New Zealand Defence Force said.

A group using small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades attacked a combined New Zealand and US patrol from the New Zealand provincial reconstruction team in the northeast of Bamyan province about 9.20pm NZT.

There were no casualties among the New Zealand and American troops, and it was believed no casualties among the attackers, joint forces commander Air Vice Marshall Peter Stockwell told NZPA.

"It's an area where in recent times we have had previous incidents, so not unexpected that we have that sort of thing happening up there -- we're pretty well prepared for it, but you just never know where or when it might occur."

The routine patrol was attacked on the main road between two towns in a mountainous area that AVM Stockwell described as good country for ambushes.

The patrol returned fire, driving the insurgents off after a 15-20 minute engagement.

Air support came in as a show of force once the area had been secured, but did not see the insurgents, he said.

The patrol returned to a local town to co-ordinate with the Afghan National Police to investigate and secure the area.

The patrol consisted of six New Zealand soldiers, and six American soldiers who were part of a mentoring team for the local police.

"They are well-prepared for it, we do give them pretty good training and realistic training for this type of thing, but for the first time you're in it I'm sure it comes as a bit of a wake-up call," he said.

New Zealand has about 140 defence force personnel running a provincial reconstruction team in Bamyan, and a contingent of SAS troops in Kabul.

The attack was similar to one on New Zealand troops in November, AVM Stockwell said.

"We certainly keep a closer eye on the area up in the northeast than we do in other parts, but the environment, if anything, I'd say is actually starting to improve because we're starting to get a bit of traction with the local district governors and we're starting to see improvements in the Afghan National Police."

The focus was on helping develop the national police, and have them carrying out security and law and order instead of the military.

Normal patrols will continue throughout the Bamyan province.

New Zealand troops do not often come under fire there. However, up to 15 SAS soldiers were involved in action when a car bomb killed eight civilians in Kabul in early March.

About 1000 troops were last year deployed on operations in nine countries: Afghanistan, Timor-Leste, Sudan, Iraq, the Middle East, Sinai, Korea, Antarctica and the Solomon Islands.

The latest six-month rotation of troops in Afghanistan is commanded by Colonel Martin Dransfield.

The NZPRT is expected to remain in Bamyan Province until September 2010.

- NZHERALD STAFF, NZPA