The US military commander in Afghanistan says he has evidence that factions of Pakistani and Iranian spy services are supporting insurgent groups that carry out attacks on coalition troops. Taliban fighters in Afghanistan are being aided by "elements of some intelligence agencies," Army Gen Stanley A McChrystal wrote in an analysis of the military situation delivered to the White House earlier this month.

McChrystal singled out Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency as well as the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as working to undermine US interests and destabilise the government in Kabul. McChrystal submitted his assessment last month, and a declassified version was published Sunday on the Washington Post website.