A suicide bomb attack on a hospital in the Afghan capital, Kabul, has left six people dead and 23 wounded. The bomber detonated his device in a tent in the grounds of Charsad Bestar Hospital where medical students were eating lunch.

The number of civilians killed or injured in Afghanistan has jumped 31%, despite a fall in the number of casualties caused by Nato-led forces. More than 1,200 civilians were killed in the first six months of 2010 and another 1,997 civilians were injured, the latest UN six-monthly report shows. The Taliban and other insurgents were responsible for 76% of the casualties, up from 53% last year.