The Afghan man who emerged ablaze from a stolen vehicle just before U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta arrived at a base in Afghanistan was attempting to attack Marines assembled to meet the Pentagon chief, U.S. officials said

An Afghan man who emerged ablaze from a stolen pick-up truck as a plane carrying U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta was arriving at a base in Afghanistan has died from burns suffered in the incident, a U.S. commander said on Thursday.

U.S. Lieutenant General Curtis Scaparrotti said the man apparently attempted to ram his truck into a group of U.S. Marines at the Camp Bastion airfield in southern Helmand province on Wednesday.

Scaparrotti said he doubted the Afghan man -- a contractor who worked as a translator -- had any idea Panetta was arriving at Camp Bastion. Panetta and his delegation were unharmed.