Updated: 08:24, Sunday August 5, 2012



Two New Zealand soldiers have been killed and six have been wounded in an incident in Afghanistan's Bamyan province, the Defence Force says.



The Kiwis were part of the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team and had gone to the aid of local security forces who encountered suspected insurgents near a village south of Do Abe, in the northeast of the province, about 7pm (NZT) on Saturday.



The six wounded were evacuated to a military hospital.



The Defence Force says it is in the process of informing and supporting next of kin and the names of the dead and wounded will not be made public for 24 hours to give the families time and space to grieve.



Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant General Rhys Jones said: 'We are deeply saddened by this loss and, on behalf of the entire New Zealand Defence Force, I extend my deepest sympathies to the family, colleagues and friends of the personnel involved.'



Five members of the New Zealand Defence Force have previously died in Afghanistan.



Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman has offered his condolences to the families.



'Our thoughts are especially with the families of those who died, and the families of those who were wounded.



'The work the NZDF undertake in this region is dangerous and they have been well trained to respond to these incidents,' he said.