Berlin - German troops in Afghanistan opened fire on a vehicle which failed to stop at a checkpoint, seriously wounding two of the occupants, the defence ministry said Monday.

A spokesman said the incident occurred on Friday near the northern city of Kunduz.

The troops, serving with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), first fired warning shots at the minibus, the spokesman said.

When the driver continued to approach the checkpoint at high speed, the soldiers opened fire with sub-machine guns, hitting the vehicle's engine, the spokesman said.

Several persons were wounded, among them two men who suffered serious injuries that required treatment in a a nearby German field hospital, he added.

The security situation in the Kunduz region has deteriorated in recent months. Two German soldiers and five children were killed in a suicide attack near the city a week ago. (dpa)