Via the BBC: US suffers heavy Afghan losses

At least eight US soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan in clashes with Taleban militants.

US commander Daniel Dwyer told the BBC the soldiers had been killed in clashes in the north-east of the country.

The BBC’s Martin Patience in Kabul says it is one of the biggest single losses in a day for the coalition since the start of military operations there.

A few thoughts occur.

First, despite a recent uptick in the discussion of Afghanistan, it does seem to be the forgotten war. It certainly has never had the same amount of coverage as had Iraq. Further, it has not been a major point of debate in the presidential contest to date.

Second (and by no means to minimize the situation), it is a comment on the nature of modern conflicts (from the point of view of the US/coalition, anyway) that eight combat deaths in a day is the one of the biggest single day losses during this conflict. That is simply an observation, not a conclusion of any type.

At least forty insurgents have been killed in the last 24 hours, according to the story.

Meanwhile:

In a separate incident on Sunday, a suicide bomber killed at least 21 people, many of them children, in a market in the Deh Rawud district of Uruzgan province.

The AFP has that number now at 24:Suicide attack in Afghanistan kills 24: police.

And, if you missed it earlier this week (via the Independent): US air strike killed 47 wedding guests.