Rice visit to Afghanistan marred by bomb in south

A bomb blast in southern Afghanistan killed at least five people yesterday as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a one-day trip, pledging long-term US commitment to support Afghanistan's transition to democracy.

Ms Rice spoke proudly of the progress Afghanistan had made since US forces helped the Afghan opposition oust the Taliban militia in late 2001, after its leaders refused to surrender Osama bin Laden following the September 11 attacks on the US.

"We have a long-term commitment to this country," Ms Rice told a joint news conference with President Hamid Karzai, before flying back to Islamabad for further talks with Pakistani leaders.

A Taliban-inspired insurgency in the country has faded over the past few months.

Yesterday's blast killed five people in the former Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, 460 km southwest of the capital. It was the worst bomb attack since August.

More than 30 people were wounded. A senior security officer blamed Taliban loyalists for the attack, but a Taliban spokesman denied responsibility.

Ms Rice, on her first visit to Kabul, said the United States would stick by the Afghan government as it sought to bring peace and stability after decades of violence going back to the Soviet invasion in 1979.