Cheap bombs plague Afghan roads

Kandahar, Afghanistan - The signature weapon of the Iraq war has established itself as the Taliban's weapon of choice in Afghanistan as well, where roadside bombs have proven to be rudimentary and cheap, but deadly as ever.

The use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) has soared in Afghanistan since 2007 and numbers are expected to spike further as an offensive in Kandahar takes off, said the commander of one of two southern battalions that clear them from roads.

Apart from being the biggest killer of NATO troops in Afghanistan, roadside bombs also put soldiers on the defensive, making them wary of leaving their armored vehicles striking at the heart of US efforts to meet locals and win their trust.