KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -
A U.S. military vehicle slammed into an oncoming bus outside the Afghan capital Thursday, injuring four civilians just 10 days after another crash involving U.S. forces sparked deadly riots.
The unrest set off by the May 29 accident was the worst in Kabul since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, with hundreds of people rampaging through the city screaming "Death to America!" About 20 people were killed in the riots.
But there were no reports of violence after Thursday's accident, which occurred on a road linking Kabul with the U.S. military headquarters in Bagram.
Col. Bob Elliott, a passenger in the U.S. military Toyota Landcruiser, said the sport utility vehicle hit the minibus while trying to pass another vehicle.
"We apologized. We said, 'Hey, it's our fault,'" said Elliott, who was among five U.S. soldiers in the SUV. "We were trying to pass the vehicle and we didn't allow enough distance ... It's unfortunate some of their people were hurt."
Two of the injured were hospitalized in serious condition, while two others suffered minor injuries. A soldier provided first aid.
None of the Americans was hurt. They were on the first day of a tour in Afghanistan when they hit the bus carrying 40 civilians.
The U.S. soldiers, aware of the earlier riots, directed traffic with guns drawn and kept a watchful eye on passengers milling about.
They faced no anger, according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene. However, when the battered SUV was being towed away, Afghan men stood in front of the tow truck and told soldiers they would not move unless they were paid compensation. The men moved aside later after U.S. soldiers talked to them.
The driver of the minibus was fuming.
"I was driving on my side, but this foreigner was driving like a crazy man," said Mawaladad, who like many Afghans uses one name. "I pulled to the side of the road, but he hit me and pushed my bus off the road. How can this happen so soon after last week's crash?"
Five civilians were killed in the May 29 crash, when a U.S. military truck plowed into a line of cars. The military said it was caused by brake failure.
Observers believe the riots stemmed partly from resentment toward the U.S. military because of the aggressive driving of its troops. Convoys often pass through crowded areas at high speeds and sometimes disregard road rules.
The U.S. military began an investigation into the crash and said its vehicles would drive more slowly. Officials have said soldiers who disobey orders to drive safely can be disciplined.
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