KABUL - A blast which killed four US soldiers in Afghanistan last month was triggered by an old landmine and not a device planted by Taliban insurgents, the US military said Thursday.
An investigation determined the March 26 explosion, which hit the soldiers while they were on patrol in southern Logar province, was caused by an anti-tank mine, it said in a statement.
"There are no indications that the mine was deliberately set for or designed to target the soldiers," the military said.
The Taliban, who were ousted by a US-led invasion more than three years ago, continue to wage attacks and have launched a spring offensive after a relatively quiet winter.
About 18,000 US-led coalition troops remain in Afghanistan hunting Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants.
04/14/2005 16:04 GMT