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Two die in Afghan suicide attack New Afghan civilian deaths probe
(about 6 hours later)
Two Afghan soldiers have been killed in a suicide attack in western Afghanistan, the defence ministry said, and three poeple were wounded. The US military in Afghanistan is investigating reports that up to 25 civilians were killed in an operation north of Kabul this week.
The bomber detonated his explosives next to a moving army vehicle in Herat province, the defence ministry said. The US had said a Taleban commander and 18 militants died in Kapisa province.
Violence in Afghanistan has surged over the last three years. US Central Command chief Gen David Petraeus has been meeting President Hamid Karzai, who has urged Western troops to reduce civilian casualties.
Militant groups have targeted foreign and local troops and have launched a number of suicide and roadside bomb attacks. New US President Barack Obama has backed a 30,000-strong troop surge for Afghanistan this year.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the latest attack yet, but it was similar to a number of similar attacks by the Taleban, officials said. His inauguration has been generally welcomed on the streets of Kabul, although a top Taleban spokesman has again reportedly warned Western troops to leave the country.
Last weekend, a suicide car bomber struck in the capital, Kabul, killing four civilians and an American soldier. Nearly 20 others were injured in the blast near a US base and the German embassy. Separately, violence continued on Wednesday when a suicide car bomb attack on an Afghan military convoy left two soldiers dead in the west of the country.
In Saturday's second attack, a suicide bomber killed a civilian while attempting to ram his vehicle into a convoy of Nato troops and Afghan police in Chaparhar district, Nangarhar province. 'Popular support'
The Taleban claimed responsibility for both the blasts. The US military had said Tuesday's operation in Kapisa, 50km (30 miles) north of Kabul, killed a key Taleban commander, Mullah Patang.
US President Barack Obama has pledged to make Afghanistan a foreign policy priority and is expected to approve the doubling of US troops in the country from the 30,000 at present. On Wednesday, US spokesman Col Greg Julian said the coalition would investigate villagers' claims that 25 civilians had been killed.
Deputy police chief for Kapisa, Naimatullah Hakimi, said meetings had been held with elders to find out who died and he insisted that "no civilians were killed".
The news of the investigation comes only a day after Mr Karzai addressed the Afghan parliament and once again urged US-led and Nato troops to do more to reduce civilian casualties.
Mr Karzai, who is due to face a presidential election this year, said the fight against militants could not be won without popular support from Afghans.
"We don't accept civilian casualties in our land in the war on terrorism," he told parliament.
Kabul's citizens give their views on President Barack ObamaIn pictures Late on Tuesday Mr Karzai met Gen Petraeus, who had arrived from a trip to Pakistan where he announced a new supply route to Afghanistan had been agreed with Russia and Central Asian states. The Pakistan route has suffered militant attacks.
Mr Karzai's office said he had again stressed to Gen Petraeus the need to avoid civilian casualties.
Mr Karzai also called for Afghan forces to be boosted with training and equipment and said the trust of the Afghan people must be won, the office said.
President Barack Obama has said Afghanistan is one of his top priorities.
The 30,000 extra troops will join 33,000 US and 32,000 other Nato troops already in the country.
'Leave Afghanistan'
President Karzai said Mr Obama's inauguration was the start of a "promising new era of understanding" between Kabul and Washington.
The inauguration was also welcomed by many ordinary Afghans on the streets of Kabul.
Hamid Karzai has urged a reduction in civilian casualties
The BBC's Bilal Sarwary says there was a sense of jubilation among many he spoke to.
Labourer Mohammad Gul said: "I have a lot of hope from Obama. Each time he talks on television, he seems like a honest person. Bush came across as bad guy in the movies.''
Eighteen-year-old Akmal said: "Obama is a very likeable president... I am hoping that he will help our army, police and government."
But the new president was also given a warning by a spokesman for the Taleban.
Qari Yousuf Ahmadi told AFP news agency that Mr Obama should pull out Western troops.
"We have no problem with Obama. However he must learn lessons from [former US president George W Bush] and before that the Soviets," he said.
"The only solution is that they leave Afghanistan."
Mr Ahmadi is a regular spokesman for the Taleban but analysts say the organisation is no longer a single entity in Afghanistan and has many different groups.
In Wednesday's suicide attack, two Afghan soldiers were killed when the bomber detonated his explosives next to an army vehicle in Herat province, the defence ministry said.