Police are weak link in Afghanistan's goal for its forces take lead on security in 5 years. Underpaid, under-equipped and under-trained, Afghanistan's 93,000-member police force is the weak link in an ambitious security strategy to hand over defense of the country to Afghans so American and other foreign troops can go home.

War-weary villagers in northern Afghanistan are taking up arms against insurgents, sick of having the Taliban encroach on their once peaceful patch of the country.

A soldier shot and killed in Afghanistan, taking the number of British deaths there this year alone to 98, will be named, a report said on Thursday.

A British soldier was shot and killed Wednesday in Afghanistan, taking the number of British deaths there this year alone to 98, the Ministry of Defence said.

A soldier has been shot and killed while on foot patrol in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence in London said on Sunday.

British defense ministry says soldier killed in explosion in Afghanistan. Britain's defense ministry says a soldier has been killed while on patrol in southern Afghanistan.

Six NATO soldiers including three French service personnel have died over the last 24 hours in Afghanistan, NATO and the French authorities announced on Sunday.

A roadside explosion killed a British soldier on a vehicle patrol in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said.

A roadside explosion killed a British soldier on a vehicle patrol in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said.

Six NATO soldiers including three French service personnel have died over the last 24 hours in Afghanistan, NATO and other officials announced on Sunday.

Seven NATO soldiers including four French service personnel died this weekend in Afghanistan, NATO and other authorities announced on Sunday.

Britain's top general in Afghanistan has backed his US commander's call for more foreign troops to fight an increasingly bloody Taliban insurgency, a newspaper said Monday.

Britain's top general in Afghanistan has backed his US commander's call for more foreign troops to fight an increasingly bloody Taliban insurgency, a newspaper said Monday.

Britain's top general in Afghanistan has backed his US commander's call for more foreign troops to fight an increasingly bloody Taliban insurgency, a newspaper said Monday.

At least 12 civilians were killed when a bus hit an improvised explosive device in Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, the local governor's office said.

At least 12 civilians were killed when a bus hit an improvised explosive device in Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, the local governor's office said.

At least 30 civilians were killed when a bus hit a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday in an attack blamed on the Taliban, the interior ministry said.

At least 30 civilians were killed when a bus hit a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday in an attack blamed on the Taliban, the interior ministry said.

At least 30 civilians were killed when a bus hit a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday in an attack blamed on the Taliban, the interior ministry said.

At least 30 civilians were killed when a bus hit a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday in an attack blamed on the Taliban, the interior ministry said.