A brazen, 18-hour Taliban attack on the Afghan capital ended today when insurgents in two buildings were overcome by heavy gunfire from Afghan-led forces and pre-dawn air assaults from US-led coalition helicopters.

The commander of Nato and US forces says that all Nato personnel are being recalled from Afghan ministries following an attack at the Interior Ministry in Kabul.

A large explosion has hit just outside the police headquarters in a southern Afghanistan city, killing five police officers.

An Afghan soldier shot and killed a Nato service member in southern Afghanistan, officials said today.