Afghan officials say Taleban insurgents have killed seven policemen and beheaded two civilians.
The officials say the policemen were killed in an ambush late Wednesday on a three-vehicle convoy in southern Uruzgan province. Two of the vehicles were hit by rockets and the third managed to flee.
Provincial officials say U.S. forces have found the bodies of two civilians who were abducted Monday by suspected Taleban and then beheaded.
Meanwhile, an Afghan soldier was shot dead after he opened fire on U.S. troops at a joint base in eastern Paktika province Wednesday. Two U.S. soldiers received minor injuries.
In an unrelated development, at least 15 people were killed when their truck swerved off a road near Kabul early Thursday and plunged into a river.