A suicide attack claimed by the Taliban killed three foreign soldiers on patrol in eastern Afghanistan yesterday, the deadliest assault on US-led NATO troops for many months. "Three Resolute Support service members were killed by a suicide bomber during a combined, dismounted patrol with Afghan forces in eastern Afghanistan," NATO's Resolute Support mission said in a statement.

A US member of the patrol and two Afghan soldiers were wounded, it said, without giving the nationality of those killed. The attack by a lone bomber on foot happened at 6 am in the city of Charikar in Parwan province. The Taliban in a statement claimed responsibility, saying they killed or wounded eight American soldiers in a "tactical explosion". The Taliban and the Islamic State group have recently stepped up their bloody attacks against government and civilian targets.