A suicide attacker blew up a car filled with explosives at a police checkpoint, killing three policemen.
In a separate attack, a roadside bomb killed two Afghan guards working for a U.S.-based security firm. Three more policemen were killed in the western province of Herat while attempting to disarm a roadside bomb.
In Germany, the government today approved the deployment of six Tornado jets for surveillance operations with NATO forces in Afghanistan.
The decision must still be approved by the parliament, which is expected to vote in March on whether to send the jets, each equipped with powerful cameras to help the NATO-led force with logistics.
If lawmakers grant approval, the planes could be deployed as early as mid-April.
(AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)
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