THE US military regrets any offence it may have caused by handing out a soccer ball emblazoned with the name of Allah on it as part of a public relations exercise in Afghanistan, a spokesman said yesterday.

The US military regrets any offense it may have caused by handing out a soccer ball emblazoned with the name of Allah on it as part of a botched public relations exercise in Afghanistan, a spokesman said today.

Fresh airstrikes in a volatile southern Afghan region killed up to 10 Taliban fighters close to where villagers say about 40 civilians died during a battle earlier this week, and the US-led coalition said local Afghans feared more militant attacks.

The top general in Afghanistan said today that Nato’s latest offensive is the first of a “rolling series” of operations against Taliban insurgents, some of whom have been fleeing Western forces in the south.

A suicide attacker blew himself up at a hospital opening ceremony in eastern Afghanistan today, wounding at least two NATO soldiers and a health worker.