FAMILIES of hundreds of U.S. soldiers who are suing South African telecoms firm MTN for allegedly aiding militant groups in Afghanistan have filed papers challenging the firm's argument that the case should not be heard in the United States. The original suit, filed in December 2019 in the United States District Court in the District of Columbia, alleges that MTN violated the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act by paying protection money to al-Qaeda and the Taliban. MTN, Africa's largest mobile operator by subscribers, has denied the allegations, and reiterated on Wednesday it would "defend its position accordingly." In new court papers, filed…