Afghan blast kills German soldier

There are an estimated 3,500 German troops in Afghanistan

A German soldier has been killed and at least three others injured in an explosion near the northern Afghan city of Kunduz, German officials say.

Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung said an eight-vehicle convoy ran into a booby trap while on patrol, calling it a "cowardly, perfidious" attack.

The injured troops were flown to Mazar-i-Sharif for treatment.

Germany has some 3,500 troops currently deployed in Afghanistan, mainly in the country's northern provinces.

The death brings the number of German troops killed in the country since the beginning of 2002 to 12. A further 16 have died in accidents or due to other causes, according to Reuters.

Pressure

It was not immediately clear what kind of device caused the explosion, German officials said.

Mr Jung told reporters that the attack would not halt Germany's involvement in the country.

"This attack will not keep us from carrying out our duties to help bring about stability and peaceful development in Afghanistan," he said.

Berlin is under pressure from both the US and other Nato members to augment the number of its soldiers in the country, and to shift its troops to the more dangerous southern provinces, where the Taleban are strongest.

But Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said "this is not the time to decide" on any changes to troop deployment.