Afghan president Hamid Karzai survived the third assassination attempt on his life on [June 10] when Taliban militants fired rockets at a building in which he was giving a speech [outside Kabul]. [The president is known as the "mayor of Kabul" to his critics, who say his power does not extend much beyond his palace, which hides behind sandbag ramparts, concrete blocks, razor wire and machine-gun nests in the capital.] [Reuters, June 11]

Afghan forces claim to have killed 157 Taliban militants in the last ten days [in joint operations with NATO forces in the south and southeast of the country]. [AFP, June 11]

From Madird11.net Security Briefs, June 11

See our last post on Afghanistan.