Twenty-three people, including a US paratrooper and a British soldier, were killed yesterday in fighting across Afghanistan ahead of the announcement of the final results of landmark legislative elections.

Election organisers plan to release the final list of winners in the next few days, said Aleem Siddique, an election spokesman. The announcement has been delayed by widespread fraud that undermined the polls' legitimacy.

Human rights advocates warn that at least half of those listed as provisional winners are former warlords or others still linked to armed groups.

In the latest fighting, a US paratrooper was killed after his patrol came under fire in eastern Khost province.

Gunmen also attacked Nato-led peacekeepers as they patrolled in northern Mazar-e-Sharif city, killing one British soldier and wounding five others. Security forces cordoned off the area and arrested four suspects.

American and Afghan forces fought a series of three battles with armed men in southern Uruzgan province, killing 13 of them.

In Kabul, security forces discovered a large weapons cache, including rocket-propelled grenades, anti-tank missiles and bombs.

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