Afhan soldiers killed in US error

US troops shot dead four Afghan soldiers and wounded four others outside the US Embassy in Kabul yesterday when they mistakenly thought they were about to come under attack, Afghan officials said.

The incident came just after Washington raised its terror alert status to high after recent bombings in Saudi Arabia and Morocco.

It could prove a major embarrassment for the main backer of the fragile government of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.