At least six people were killed in an early morning suicide attack in the Afghan capital, hours after a surprise visit to Afghanistan by President Barack Obama, government officials said.

An Afghan man who crashed a stolen vehicle on to the runway at Camp Bastion as US defence secretary Leon Panetta arrived there has died of his injuries.

Two Nato service members were shot dead today in southern Afghanistan when two men, one of whom was believed to be an Afghan soldier, turned their weapons against international troops.

A suicide car bomber struck early today at the gates of Jalalabad airport in eastern Afghanistan, officials said, killing nine people in an attack insurgents said was revenge for US troops burning Korans.

At least seven people have been killed in protests around Afghanistan against the burning of Korans at a US air base.