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Old 07-13-2010, 08:17 AM
Twoller Twoller is offline
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Default guardian.co.uk: Renegade Afghan soldier kills three British troops

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010...british-troops

Quote:
Renegade Afghan soldier kills three British troops

Manhunt launched after three UK soldiers killed and four injured inside base in southern Helmand

Jo Adetunji and agencies
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 13 July 2010 11.44 BST


Three British soldiers were killed today in an attack by a renegade Afghan soldier at a military base in Afghanistan.

The soldiers, who have not yet been named, belonged to the 1st Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles. They died in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of southern Helmand province.

The Ministry of Defence said they had been "killed in a suspected premeditated attack by a member of the Afghan national army using a combination of weapons."

According to reports, the Afghan soldier is believed to have shot one soldier with a gun and killed two more with a rocket-propelled grenade during the attack at an army base at around 2.45am.

Four other British soldiers were also reportedly injured, the Afghan defence ministry spokesman said, and the gunman was believed to be on the run.

Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "We believe these were the actions of a lone individual who has betrayed his ISAF [International Security Assistance Force] and Afghan comrades. His whereabouts are currently unknown but we are making strenuous efforts to find him.

"He should know that his actions will not deter us from our task and we will continue to work closely with our Afghan friends to bring security to Helmand."

The MoD said it was still carrying out an investigation into the incident.

According to a Nato source, the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, issued an immediate apology to Nato and the British government over the incident and has launched an investigation into the reports.

Karzai's spokesman, Waheed Omar, said: "If it is confirmed, it's a very unfortunate attack and the government of Afghanistan will do everything to make sure the proper traitors are brought to justice."

The families of the soldiers involved in the incident are being informed, but anyone worried about relatives serving in Afghanistan can call a special helpline on 08457 800 900.

Downing Street said the prime minister, David Cameron, was being kept informed about the incident.

British troops have been involved in preparing Afghan troops for combat, and the two forces have been working side by side in Helmand, where 9,000 British troops are based as part of the Nato-led force targeting Taliban insurgents.

Each fortnight, up to 600 Afghan national army recruits arrive at Camp Bastion after completing basic training at a military training centre in Kabul.

The incident is a dramatic demonstration of the dangers and risks involved in training Afghan security forces, which is the key to the government's exit strategy.

Captain Anthony Clark-Jones, part of the operational mentoring and liaison team at Camp Bastion, said Afghan troops were being trained to find potential improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as well as in other skills. "We take them through skill-at-arms and live firing, among many other subjects," he said.

In November, a rogue Afghan policeman killed five British troops. In December, an Afghan soldier shot dead one US soldier and wounded two Italian troops at a base in Badghis.

After today's attack, ISAF said that although the incident was a breach of trust, it would continue to work in harness with Afghan security forces. The Nato commander in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, reiterated the message.

"This is a combined, joint mission, Afghan and Alliance troopers fighting shoulder to shoulder against the Taliban and other extremists," Petraeus said in a statement. "We have sacrificed greatly together, and we must ensure that the trust between our forces remains solid in order to defeat our common enemies."

The deputy commander of ISAF forces, Lieutenant General Sir Nick Parker, sought to rally troops still working with Afghan colleagues. "In that patrol base, this will be a traumatic event," he said. "What I say to them is: 'Keep on working. You're doing a fantastic job, and you must continue to do it, and the vast majority of your Afghan partners are real, genuine partners, and you will know that because you work together every day.'"

The attack brings the death toll of British forces and MoD personnel to 317 since operations began in October 2001 – 276 of these through hostile action. In total, 1,925 Nato troops have been killed since 2001.
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