The Taliban claimed responsibility today for an attack in Afghanistan that killed four American troops just hours after it announced it would hold talks with the US.

A US House of Representatives foreign aid panel voted to cut off almost $4bn (€3.27bn) in aid to the government of Afghanistan pending an investigation into charges that Afghan officials are blocking corruption probes and huge amounts of foreign aid are being stolen.

The Government today pledged €5m in aid to help rebuild Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s Taliban Government has issued a defiant statement saying that US claims to have crippled Afghan defences are untrue.