The United Nations anti-drug chief has called for a strong military action by NATO forces to destroy the opium industry in southern Afghanistan.
Head of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime Antonio Maria Costa Tuesday urged NATO countries to give the alliance the mandate to stop what he called the vicious circle of drugs funding terrorists and terrorists protecting drug traffickers.
In an unrelated development, a U.S.-led coalition soldier died and another one was injured when their armored vehicle rolled over during a combat mission in eastern Kunar province late Monday.
Separately, unknown gunmen kidnapped a Colombian aid worker and two Afghan employees of a French-funded aid agency in central Wardak province. Local officials say the three disappeared Sunday and that police are looking for them. It is not clear why they were in the remote area.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.