Christians Under Attack

"This (attack) was part of our operation against the Dutch. First it was because they have occupied our country and secondly it was in retaliation to the Dutch insult to our great prophet Mohammed," Ahmadi said.

Ahmadi's claim could not be independently confirmed and the rebel spokesman has in the past made exaggerated claims.

Four Dutch soldiers were returning from a reconnaissance mission when the blast hit their vehicle in the troubled southern province of Uruzgan, Dutch defense ministry spokesman General Freek Meulman said.

The two men killed were 23 and 22 years old, said Meulman. Two other soldiers aged 20 and 25 were wounded, with one in critical condition and the other stable.

The militia had threatened to step up attacks against Dutch forces in Afghanistan if far-right Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders broadcast his anti-Islam film, which was aired last month.

More than 1,600 Dutch soldiers are deployed in Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) which is fighting the Taliban insurgency.

The Dutch government decided in November to extend the mission until late 2010.

The Taliban were ousted from power in 2001 in a US-led invasion following the 9/11 attacks on the United States after refusing to hand over Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.

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