Hundreds flee south Afghan town ahead of offensive KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Minivans piled high with mattresses and clothing lined up at checkpoints Sunday as hundreds of civilians fled a Taliban-controlled area ahead of a planned NATO offensive in southern Afghanistan. US says ambushed Afghan outpost left vulnerable KABUL - Most of the soldiers were still asleep when gunfire rang out and insurgents stormed their isolated base from all sides. Eight Americans and three Afghan soldiers died. Anger as NATO airstrike kills 4 Afghan soldiers KABUL - A joint U.S.-Afghan force called in an airstrike on what turned out to be an Afghan army post after taking fire from there before dawn Saturday, killing four Afghan soldiers and prompting an angry demand for punishment from the country's defense ministry.
Author applauds 'Kite Runner' film delay "The Kite Runner" author Khaled Hosseini is commending the delayed release of the film adaptation of his novel over fears for the actors' safety.