Thousands of people gathered in southern Afghanistan today to mourn the death of Afghan President Hamid Karzai's powerful half- brother, who was assassinated in his home by a bodyguard.

Britain’s military operations in Afghanistan have been harshly criticised by the country’s president Hamid Karzai, local officials and the American commander of Nato troops, according to leaked diplomatic papers.

Troops raised the Afghan flag in the bullet-ridden main market of the Taliban’s southern stronghold of Marjah today as fighting continued elsewhere in town.

About 300 families have already fled a southern Afghan town ahead of a major new offensive planned on a key Taliban stronghold, provincial officials said today.