The French president François Hollande continued his whirlwind introduction to office yesterday with a snap visit to Afghanistan to defend his early withdrawal of French troops.

Revised deadline from new French regime does not mean 'rush for exits', says Secretary General

Standing next to India's foreign minister, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pressed neighbouring Pakistan today to do more to stamp out homegrown terrorism, in comments likely to please the Indian government but annoy Pakistani leaders.

Seven die in Kabul attack as US President says he will not keep American troops 'in harm's way'

Afghan security forces have arrested five militants with 10 tons of explosives that they had brought from Pakistan to use to carry out a massive attack in Kabul, as well as another three planning an assassination attempt against the vice president.

A militant arrested in the attacks on the Afghan capital and three other cities has confessed that the 18-hour assault was carried out by the Haqqani network, a lethal group of fighters with ties to the Taliban and al-Qa'ida, a top Afghan security official said today.

The Taliban launched a series of coordinated attacks on as many as seven sites across the Afghan capital on Sunday, targeting Nato bases, the parliament and Western embassies. Militants also launched near-simultaneous assaults in three other eastern cities.

A plot to assassinate the former British ambassador to Afghanistan was foiled, the UK's current representative in Kabul has said.

Two dead after assassin tricks his way into heavily armed compound and then opens fire

Twelve people died today when a Turkish helicopter crashed into a house near the Afghan capital Kabul.

Afghanistan is on fire and the leaders of the two largest Nato powers fighting there, Barack Obama and David Cameron, were headed for a college basketball game in Ohio. Popcorn and hotdogs were on the agenda.

Seven people were killed in clashes between Afghan security forces and protesters demonstrating against the burning of Korans by foreign soldiers at a Nato base near Kabul.

Seven people were killed today in clashes between Afghan security forces and protesters demonstrating against the burning of Muslim holy books at a Nato military base.

Commander forced into grovelling apology in attempt to placate 3,000-strong mob