Ten foreign soldiers, including seven US soldiers, were killed in attacks in Afghanistan yesterday in what was the biggest single-day death toll of military personnel this year.
Five of the Americans died in an explosion in eastern Afghanistan, a US military spokesman said.
The two others died in separate attacks in the south, one killed by a bombing and the other by small arms fire.
Nato said three more service members were killed in attacks in the east and south of the country.
The French government said one of the victims was a sergeant in the French foreign legion, who was killed by a rocket in Kapisa province. Australia's defence force chief, Lieutenant General David Hurley, said two Australian soldiers were killed by an improvised explosive device in Uruzgan province, in southern Afghanistan.
Australia is not a Nato member, but its 1,500 troops in Afghanistan – the largest contingent outside the northern Atlantic alliance – are under Nato command as part of the International Security Assistance Force.
A US civilian contractor who trains Afghan police was killed, along with a Nepalese security guard, when a team of three suicide bombers attacked the main gates of the training centre in Kandahar.
Afghan officials said one bomber blew a hole in the outer wall, enabling the two others to run inside. They were killed in a gun battle, and three police officers were wounded.
It was the deadliest day for Nato since 26 October, when 11 US troops were killed, including seven who died in a helicopter crash. The crash was not believed to have been a result of hostile fire.
US commanders have warned of more casualties as the alliance prepares for a major operation to secure Kandahar, the former headquarters of the Taliban and the biggest city in the south.