Nato and Afghan troops killed 17 insurgents in an hours-long gun battle in southern Helmand province, an Afghan official said today.

A US soldier and four police officers were killed in rebel attacks in Afghanistan, while three civilians were injured by gunfire following the bombing of an American patrol.

A US soldier and four Afghan police officers were killed in separate rebel attacks, while at least two Afghan civilians were injured by gunfire following the bombing of an American patrol in the east of the country, American and Afghan officials said today.