Afghan attack kills US soldiers hours after news of talks

Four US soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan, hours after the US announced direct talks with the Taliban.

The soldiers were killed by "indirect fire" from insurgents at Bagram air base, US officials said.

Bagram, near the Afghan capital Kabul, is the largest military base for US troops in Afghanistan.

A condition for the talks, due to begin on Thursday in Qatar, was for the Taliban to renounce violence.

In comments made before the news of the attack emerged, US President Barack Obama said the announcement of talks was an "important first step toward reconciliation".

The talks are set to take place in Doha, Qatar, where the Taliban have just opened their first official overseas office.

Trust 'low':

As well as renouncing violence, other conditions of the talks are that the Taliban break ties with al-Qaeda and respect the Afghan constitution - including the rights of women and minorities.

President Obama: "We don't anticipate this process will be easy or quick, but we must pursue it in parallel with our military approach"

Talks between President Karzai's High Peace Council and the Taliban are due to follow a few days after those between the US and the Taliban, officials say.

The level of trust between the Afghan government and the Taliban is described as "low".

In the past, the Taliban have always refused to meet President Karzai or his government, dismissing them as puppets of Washington.

Masoom Stanekzai, secretary of the High Peace Council, would not give a specific date for their talks but said they would take place "within days".

US officials stressed that this was the first step on a very long road, adding that there was no guarantee of success.

After opening the "political bureau" in Doha on Tuesday alongside Qatari officials, Taliban representative Mohammed Naeem told reporters the group wanted good relations with Afghanistan's neighbours.

"We support a political and peaceful solution that ends Afghanistan's occupation, and guarantees the Islamic system and nationwide security, a Taliban statement said.

Our's Paul Adams in Washington says these were key statements that US officials were expecting to hear.