Four US soldiers died when the helicopter they were riding in apparently crashed with another in southern Afghanistan. The helicopters were not involved in hostilities, according to the reports.

The news comes as earlier reports spoke of 10 US dead in another crash in Baghdis province in the west of the country involving a helicopter in an operation against  insurgents “conducting activities related to narcotics trafficking”, according to the International Security Asssistance Force spokesman.

In the centre of Kabul, the capital, hundreds of Afghans shouting anti-US slogans clashed with police to protest the alleged desecration of a Koran by US soldiers in the second day of protests. Similar protests were taking place in the western city of Herat, Monday 26 October. AFP, Reuters