Kabul: Afghan security forces shot dead an unarmed man they believed could be a suicide bomber near the entrance to Kabul's international airport, the defence ministry said today.

A search on his body afterward found no sign of explosives, it added.

The civilian was shot after failing to heed repeated demands by troops and police to stop as he was walking on a road near the airport.

Defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Zahir Azimi told AFP the man's bulging waistcoat pockets made it look as if he had something strapped to his waist. "Both army and police opened fire suspecting him of a suicide attacker. At this stage it is not clear whose bullets killed the man," Azimi said.

Both forces have launched an investigation into the incident, he said.

Kabul International Airport is the only civilian airport in Kabul, and is used for civilian purposes as well as NATO military air transport.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said it was not involved in the shooting. "We are aware of an incident. It did not involve the ISAF forces," spokesman Charles Anthony told AFP.

There have been several deadly suicide blasts on the road to the airport targeting military forces, and in some cases NATO or US-led coalition forces have shot civilians driving close to military convoys or failing to stop.

Source : PTI