Nato chief visits Bush over Afghanistan

Nato's Secretary-General today said he is saddened by recent deaths of Afghan civilians, and that the alliance is committed to defending democracy in a nation once ruled by the repressive Taliban regime.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer's comments came as the International Committee of the Red Cross warned today that Afghan civilians are being caught in the middle of the fighting between government and Nato-led security forces on the one hand and insurgents on the other.