Four Norwegian soldiers killed in Afghanistan

In this photo provided by ABC, CIA Director Leon Panetta is interviewed on ABC's "This Week" Sunday, June 27, 2010. The U.S. has driven al-Qaida into hiding and undermined its leadership, but is struggling to oust its primary sympathizer, the Taliban, from Afghanistan, Panetta said.

The Norwegian military says four of its soldiers have died after a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in northern Afghanistan.

A military statement says the soldiers were killed while on a mission in Faryab province on Sunday evening. The military has not specified the nature of the mission.

The Defence Ministry says the soldiers were part of a stabilization force in the province. The ministry says this is the highest number of Norwegian troops killed in a single attack since the start of the war. Until Sunday, only five Norwegian troops had been killed in the entire war.

Norway has about 500 troops stationed in Afghanistan.