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Explosion at Nato base in Kabul Explosion at Nato base in Kabul
(about 3 hours later)
A car bomber has struck outside a Nato base in the Afghan capital Kabul, injuring three foreign soldiers and three Afghan civilians, officials say.A car bomber has struck outside a Nato base in the Afghan capital Kabul, injuring three foreign soldiers and three Afghan civilians, officials say.
The blast took place near Camp Phoenix, the US base where Afghan forces are trained, on the Kabul-Jalalabad road. The bomber targeted a coalition vehicle near Camp Phoenix, where Afghan forces are trained, Afghan officials said.
Afghan officials said a suicide bomber in a white car targeted a coalition forces vehicle on its way to the base. The Taliban said it carried out the suicide bombing.
Reports say the blast was followed by small arms fire. The area was sealed off by Western and Afghan forces. British officials have meanwhile suggested a reconciliation between the Afghan government and parts of the Taliban leadership within two years.
Ministers have previously talked of the need for the reintegration of Taliban foot soldiers and local commanders.
Putting in place the right combination of carrot and stick, at the right moment, will be critical to changing the calculations of individual commanders and their men British memo seen by BBC UK 'backs Taliban reintegration' UK to push for more Afghan troops
But a memo seen by the BBC recommends a wider dialogue within a specific time-frame of two years - including a settlement between the Afghan government and parts of the Quetta Shura, the Taliban's governing body.
The document is believed to be one of a number written by foreign governments providing advice to Afghan President Hamid Karzai's administration as it prepares for its second term in office, BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera reports.
Parts of the memo have been obtained by the BBC, including a call to reduce the insurgency by a combination of military pressure and offering an honourable exit from the fight to the Taliban, he says.
Included in the proposed action plan are the removal of reconciled Taliban leaders from the UN sanctions list within six months.
UK 'seeks more troops'
Meanwhile, UK media reports say the British government will try to persuade some of its allies to send 5,000 more forces to Afghanistan.
The UK's presence in the country totals about 9,000 personnel and Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he is willing to send another 500, but only if others provide their "fair share".
The US is currently debating its Afghanistan strategy, with President Barack Obama yet to make a decision on whether to deploy a significant number of extra troops.
The US has some 68,000 troops in Afghanistan, among a coalition force of more than 100,000.
The top US and Nato commander in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley McChrystal, has urged an injection of about 40,000 more troops.
But the American ambassador in Kabul has warned against a US troop surge, expressing concerns about corruption and poor governance under President Hamid Karzai.
In a leaked message to the White House during the past week, Ambassador Karl Eikenberry - a former top military commander in Afghanistan - reportedly said it was "not a good idea" to send substantially more soldiers.
Kabul attack
Reports say Friday's blast on the Kabul-Jalalabad road was followed by small arms fire. The area was sealed off by Western and Afghan forces.
Nabi, a taxi driver, told the Associated Press that he heard a "big bang" as he was driving down the road.Nabi, a taxi driver, told the Associated Press that he heard a "big bang" as he was driving down the road.
"Everything went dark," he said. "I just managed to take myself out of the area. I don't know what happened then, but the attack was on the foreigners.""Everything went dark," he said. "I just managed to take myself out of the area. I don't know what happened then, but the attack was on the foreigners."
The attack comes amid intense debate over US strategy in Afghanistan, with President Barack Obama yet to make a decision on troop numbers. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the group claimed responsibility for the attack.
The US currently has some 68,000 troops in Afghanistan, among a coalition force of more than 100,000.
The top US and Nato commander in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley McChrystal, has urged an injection of about 40,000 more troops.
But it has emerged that the American ambassador in Kabul has warned against a US troop surge unless Mr Karzai acts to tackle corruption and improve governance in his new term in office.
In a leaked message to the White House during the past week, Ambassador Karl Eikenberry - a former military commander in Afghanistan - reportedly said it was "not a good idea" to send substantially more soldiers.