Apparent Afghan insider attack kills NATO troops

KABUL, Afghanistan A man wearing an Afghan police uniform shot and killed two British soldiers at a checkpoint in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, international military officials said.

The assault appeared to the be the latest in a string of insider attacks that have threatened the partnership between international troops and the Afghan forces they are trying to train to take over responsibility for the country's security.

A statement from the NATO military coalition said only that the assailant was wearing a police uniform, leaving open the possibility that the attacker was a militant posing as a policeman. The statement did not provide details on the shooting, saying it was being investigated.

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"Insider attacks" kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan

The British Ministry of Defense said the attack happened at a checkpoint in Helmand Province's Nahri Sarraj district.

"The loss of these soldiers is a huge blow," Maj. Laurence Roche, a spokesman for British troops in Helmand, said in a statement.

The two killed soldiers were with the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, he said.

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Transition in Afghanistan hitting road blocks

At least 53 international troops have been killed in attacks by Afghan soldiers or police this year, and a number of other assaults are still under investigation, the international alliance has said.

The surge in insider attacks is throwing doubt on the capability of the Afghan security forces to take over from international troops ahead of a planned handover to the Afghans in 2014. It has further undermined public support for the 11-year war in NATO countries.

The attacks have not been limited to members of the NATO-led international coalition. More than 50 Afghan members of the government's security forces also have died this in attacks by their own colleagues.

[dotherightthing4]

75% of all American troop deaths have come since Obama took office and changed the rules of engagement. We have no business "nation building." We went there to kill the enemy that attacked us. That is exactly what we should have done. Invade, attack, destroy and leave.

If they dare attack again....give 'em some more.

[quincytodd]

I noticed how the right-wing news media lambasted the Russians some 30 years for being in Afghanistan and today the same media tries to make the NATO forces out to be the heroes that they're not! The bottom line here is that neither the Russians nor the NATO forces today have or never had any moral right to be in that country! Only an ignoramus thinks otherwise!

[decotoguy]

It appears quincytodd does not woship at the CATHEDRAL of WILLFULL SELF-DECEPTION,
you must be one of those few that has awaken and is not convince of the Mission Afghanistan
(whatever it is). I don't wish to bust you balls,I just want to say RIGHT ON.
I remember the Russians trying to bring some control over the Afghans and what the USA did to
stealthy fight the Russians.
I was in Vietnam 43 years ago, that WAR signify literality nothing.
Does anyone remember Vietnam?
Better yet,does anyone CARE about WAR?

[MrsHippy]

The only thing the terrorists will understand is when we disintegrate them with a nuclear weapon.

[quincytodd]

Thank you, MrShippy. Spoken like an ignorant, warmongering, kill crazy, weak minded Tea Partier.