Kabul  - The Afghan government began voter registration Monday ahead of a presidential election slated for autumn 2009 despite the country's worsening security situation as it battles a Taliban-led insurgency.

The Independent Election Commission said it started the first phase of the registration process in 15 central and eastern provinces, adding that it would take up to four months to cover the country.

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Kabul- A suicide bomber attacked a convoy of Afghan army forces in western Afghanistan, killing himself and wounding a soldier and three civilians, while a suspected senior Taliban commander was arrested by NATO forces in the southern region, officials said Sunday.

The bomber rammed his explosive-laden motorbike into a convoy of Afghan national army forces in Guzara district of western Herat province on Sunday afternoon, said, Abdul Raouf Ahmadi, spokesman for police in western region.

He said the bomber died in the blast, while one soldier and three civilian passers-by were wounded.

Kabul - US-led coalition forces killed five Taliban militants in southern and eastern Afghanistan in two separate operations, the military said Saturday.

The joint forces were conducting a search operation targeting a Taliban sub-commander in Andar district of southern Ghazni province on Friday when they encountered two armed militants, the US military said in a statement.

The soldiers killed the militants and recovered multiple AK-47 rifles, and materials used for making roadside bombs from the targeted compound, the statement.

Kabul - One civilian was killed and four wounded in crossfire between coalition forces and Taliban militants in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, while another civilian was killed in a rebel rocket attack against Afghan forces in southern region, officials have said.

Taliban militants attacked a convoy of Afghan and US-led coalition forces in the Pech district of eastern Kunar province on Friday morning, resulting in deaths of one civilian and injuries to four others, the US military said in a statement.

Kabul, Oct 3: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has reportedly advised the Taliban leader in Afghanistan Mulla Umar to return to Afganistan, and promised him all possible safety.

“I propose Mulla Umar to get back to Afghanistan as I will be wholly solely responsible for his security and I shall be answerable to the whole of the world on his behalf,” The News quoted Karzai as saying in an interview with GEO TV.