American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2004 -- Seven U.S. soldiers were killed, one other is missing, and three U.S. soldiers and one interpreter were injured after an explosion today west of Ghazni, Afghanistan.

A U.S. Central Command news release said the soldiers were working around a weapons cache when the explosion occurred. The wounded soldiers were evacuated to the 452nd Combat Support Hospital at Bagram Air Base.

The names of the soldiers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin, and the incident is under investigation, the news release reported.