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| Afghan kills two troops at Nato base | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A man in an Afghan army uniform has shot and killed two troops at a Nato base in southern Afghanistan, Nato officials have said. | |
| In a statement, Nato said an individual wearing an Afghan uniform turned his weapon against international troops. Coalition forces then returned fire. | In a statement, Nato said an individual wearing an Afghan uniform turned his weapon against international troops. Coalition forces then returned fire. |
| "The gunman was shot and killed," Major Jason Waggoner, a Nato spokesman, said. A western official in southern Afghanistan confirmed that the incident happened at the main Nato base in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province. | "The gunman was shot and killed," Major Jason Waggoner, a Nato spokesman, said. A western official in southern Afghanistan confirmed that the incident happened at the main Nato base in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province. |
| The attack appeared to be the latest in a string of so-called green-on-blue attacks in which Afghan security forces have turned on their international colleagues or mentors. Such attacks have become increasingly common over the past year. | The attack appeared to be the latest in a string of so-called green-on-blue attacks in which Afghan security forces have turned on their international colleagues or mentors. Such attacks have become increasingly common over the past year. |
| There have also been incidents in which insurgents have worn Afghan uniforms to launch attacks. | There have also been incidents in which insurgents have worn Afghan uniforms to launch attacks. |
| Tensions between the US and Afghanistan have been particularly strained following the burning of copies of the Qur'an at a US base in February. That act – which US officials have acknowledged was a mistake – sparked riots and attacks that killed more than 30 people, including six US soldiers. | Tensions between the US and Afghanistan have been particularly strained following the burning of copies of the Qur'an at a US base in February. That act – which US officials have acknowledged was a mistake – sparked riots and attacks that killed more than 30 people, including six US soldiers. |
| Afghans have also expressed outrage at the 11 March shooting spree, allegedly carried out by a US soldier, in which at least 16 villagers were killed, although the incident has not sparked the same level of public protests. | Afghans have also expressed outrage at the 11 March shooting spree, allegedly carried out by a US soldier, in which at least 16 villagers were killed, although the incident has not sparked the same level of public protests. |
| The Lashkar Gah base is dominated by British forces. The Ministry of Defence said it was aware of the incident, but refused to release any more details or confirm whether the soldiers were British. |