SIX Afghan policemen have been found beheaded after their patrol was ambushed by Taleban guerrillas.

The discovery was made on the same day that rebels from the former regime claimed to have decapitated a missing American commando. The bodies and heads of the six men, with four others who had been shot dead, were found dumped in Helmand province near the border with Pakistan on Saturday.

The bodies were discovered on the day that a Taleban spokesman contacted news organisations to claim that they had beheaded an American commando who went missing in Kunar province last month. American military officials said that they had no evidence to support the claim. The commando to whom the Taleban were apparently referring, however, remains missing in Kunar province. He was part of a four-man team that called for help after running into trouble while tracking Taleban militants. The helicopter sent to back them up was shot down with the loss of 16 servicemen. One of the missing commandos was later found alive after being helped to safety by friendly villagers, while two others were found dead.

Abdul Latif Hakimi, the Taleban spokesman, confirmed the killings of the policemen at the same time as making the claim to have beheaded the commando. He has been known to make false claims in the past. He said that anyone caught opposing the Taleban’s fight to oust the American-backed Government and drive coalition forces from Afghanistan would face death.

But he also communicated an offer of amnesty from Mullah Omar, the leader of the movement, for any security forces or government official prepared to join the rebels.The offer echoed a government offer of amnesty to Taleban guerrillas prepared to join the Government, but which has had limited effect.

The killings are the latest in a spasm of violence that began in March. Hundreds of people have died in the violence, by far the worse since the Taleban fell from power in late 2002. Among them are 32 American troops killed in action, including the 18 confirmed dead in Kunar.

Yesterday Condoleezza Rice, the American Secretary of State, rejected a call from a regional group led by China and Russia for American forces to leave Central Asia.

“It is our understanding that the people of Afghanistan want and need the help of US Armed Forces,” she said.

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