Kabul - Seven years down the line fighting terrorism in Afghanistan, the US government wants to shift its focus from the Iraq war to the Afghan conflict.

Analysts believe, however, that the US decision has come too late, as the Taliban have regained control of a large swathe of the country and defeating them appears virtually impossible.

Following their ouster in late 2001 in a US-led invasion, the Taliban movement was regarded as a tiny force of remnants of a defeated ultra-Islamic regime. The Taliban's strength was estimated at less than 2,000 fighters, and Afghan and NATO officials predicted they would be completely eliminated in a few years.

Kabul - A British soldier, two Afghan policemen and five militants were killed in separate clashes and blasts in the latest violence erupting in Afghanistan, officials said Tuesday.

A British soldier serving in the NATO-led international forces was killed by "enemy fire" in Gerishk district of the southern Helmand province on Monday, the fifth to die in less than week in the province, the British Defence Ministry said in a statement.

More than 8,000 British soldiers are part of some 50,00-strong NATO-led troops stationed in Afghanistan. Most of the British soldiers are deployed in volatile province of Helmand.

Kabul - US President George W Bush was awarded the most prestigious medal by his Afghan counterpart in Kabul, one day after he ducked a pair of shoes launched at him by an Iraqi journalist in Baghdad.

Bush made a farewell trip to Iraq Sunday to support the recently signed US-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement, which paves the way for the transfer of full sovereignty to Iraq and the departure of US troops by 2011.

Kabul  - Nine Taliban militants, three civilians and two Afghan policemen were killed in the latest clashes and attacks in Afghanistan, officials said Saturday.

US-led troops killed five militants and destroyed six roadside explosive devices in separate operations in southern Helmand province on Thursday and Friday, the military said in a statement.

One Afghan policeman was killed and another was wounded during the operations, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the combined forces killed one insurgent and detained 16 in Kabul and southern Zabul provinces on Friday, the US military said.

Kabul - Nine Taliban militants, three civilians and two Afghan policemen were killed in the latest clashes and attacks in Afghanistan, officials said Saturday.

US-led troops killed five militants and destroyed six roadside explosive devices in separate operations in southern Helmand province on Thursday and Friday, the military said in a statement.

One Afghan policeman was killed and another was wounded during the operations, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the combined forces killed one insurgent and detained 16 in Kabul and southern Zabul provinces on Friday, the US military said.

Kabul - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown arrived on a surprise visit in Afghanistan on Saturday, a day after four British soldiers were killed in suicide and roadside attacks in the southern region of the country, officials said.

A presidential palace source said Brown was scheduled to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and the two would hold a joint press conference later Saturday.

The official website for the prime minister said Brown would also pay a visit to his country troops. He last visited Afghanistan in August, when he pledged to continue British support for the country.

Brown's visit came a day after four British soldiers were killed in two separate blasts in Sangin district of southern Helmand province on Friday.