Brussels- NATO has completed its naval exercises and will pull a force of four warships out of the Black Sea, the alliance confirmed Wednesday as it rejected Russian claims that it was forcing a confrontation in the wake of August's Russian-Georgian war.

"The Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG 1) successfully completed its planned visit and is leaving the Black Sea today in accordance with the Montreux Convention," a statement released in the alliance's Brussels headquarters said.

London, July 25: British and American commanders in war-ravaged Afghanistan have interestingly claimed that the Taliban and its factions could be using NATO troops and weaponry to eliminate rivals.

According to The Independent, the commanders believe that over a period of 18 months, the assassinations or killing of key insurgent leaders like Mullah Dadullah, Abdul Rasaq and three of his senior lieutenants -- Mullah Sheikh, Bishmullah Khan and Mullah Sadiqullah, are examples of the effectiveness of the Taliban policy of "decapitating" the enemy leadership.

Kiev - Ten Communist rowboats blocked the exit of a squadron of NATO warships from a Ukrainian harbour, Channel 5 television reported Monday.

Demonstrators manning the craft had set up a patrol line in Odessa bay between the vessels and the open Black Sea, preventing NATO combat vessels from departing to participate in the US-led Sea Breeze 2008 international naval exercise.

Port officials had taken three boats into custody by mid-morning, but the blockade was continuing as Ukrainian police attempted to convince the protestors to move out of the way.

The anti-NATO activists were members of three extreme left-wing groups opposed to Ukrainian cooperation with the Western alliance.

Copenhagen  - A 100-strong medical team from the Danish defence forces is to serve next year at a British army field hospital in southern Afghanistan, a Danish military spokesman said Wednesday.

The team including doctors, nurses and other health workers were to serve for a three-month period starting in July 2009, Major Bjarne Poulsen of the Danish International Logistic Centre told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

The Logistics Centre based in Vordinborg, southern Zealand is in charge of recruiting and training staff and sending equipment to Danish international missions.