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| Afghan who killed British soldier fired at Remembrance Day football match | Afghan who killed British soldier fired at Remembrance Day football match |
| (5 months later) | |
| An Afghan soldier who killed a British mentor first opened fire during a Remembrance Day football game, then fled into the UK section of a joint base where he was fatally shot. | An Afghan soldier who killed a British mentor first opened fire during a Remembrance Day football game, then fled into the UK section of a joint base where he was fatally shot. |
| The soldier from The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland was the fifth to die at the hands of the Afghan army or police in less than a month. | The soldier from The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland was the fifth to die at the hands of the Afghan army or police in less than a month. |
| There have been three "insider attacks" since the current troop rotation, known by the military as Herrick 17, began in mid-October. In that time, no UK forces have been killed by conventional insurgent attacks. | There have been three "insider attacks" since the current troop rotation, known by the military as Herrick 17, began in mid-October. In that time, no UK forces have been killed by conventional insurgent attacks. |
| The gunman, whose name was Ashraf, was a relatively new recruit from northern Panjshir valley with just over two months service in the south, said the commander of Afghan forces in Helmand, General Sayed Malouk. | The gunman, whose name was Ashraf, was a relatively new recruit from northern Panjshir valley with just over two months service in the south, said the commander of Afghan forces in Helmand, General Sayed Malouk. |
| Panjshir province has long been an anti-Taliban stronghold, lending credence to the claim of another Afghan official that the attack stemmed from a personal grudge rather than Taliban sympathies. | Panjshir province has long been an anti-Taliban stronghold, lending credence to the claim of another Afghan official that the attack stemmed from a personal grudge rather than Taliban sympathies. |
| "I can tell you that it was not the enemies; the ANA (Afghan national army) soldier who opened fire was not a member of the Taliban. There were some private problems between him and the British soldiers," said Ahmad Zirak, spokesman for the Helmand provincial governor. | "I can tell you that it was not the enemies; the ANA (Afghan national army) soldier who opened fire was not a member of the Taliban. There were some private problems between him and the British soldiers," said Ahmad Zirak, spokesman for the Helmand provincial governor. |
| British and Afghan soldiers often mingle on an open but protected stretch of land between a UK base and the headquarters for an Afghan battalion, that was used by both to relax. | British and Afghan soldiers often mingle on an open but protected stretch of land between a UK base and the headquarters for an Afghan battalion, that was used by both to relax. |
| "There is a shared ground and every day the ANA and Brits mix and they play soccer in this ground, and on other side volleyball and cricket," Malouk said by phone from Nad Ali, where he had gone to launch an investigation. | "There is a shared ground and every day the ANA and Brits mix and they play soccer in this ground, and on other side volleyball and cricket," Malouk said by phone from Nad Ali, where he had gone to launch an investigation. |
| "Yesterday afternoon … during the game, these two soldiers opened fire," he said, referring to the Afghan soldier and a British soldier who reportedly returned fire. | "Yesterday afternoon … during the game, these two soldiers opened fire," he said, referring to the Afghan soldier and a British soldier who reportedly returned fire. |
| It was not clear if Ashraf was taking part in the football game or watching from the sidelines, but he took advantage of the chaos to escape the field and run into the camp, western officials said. | It was not clear if Ashraf was taking part in the football game or watching from the sidelines, but he took advantage of the chaos to escape the field and run into the camp, western officials said. |
| He opened fire from a second location, where he killed the British soldier, and then ran to a gym where he tried to attack again but was critically wounded by troops who had tracked him down. He died a few hours later in hospital. | He opened fire from a second location, where he killed the British soldier, and then ran to a gym where he tried to attack again but was critically wounded by troops who had tracked him down. He died a few hours later in hospital. |
| Insider attacks are a huge problem for the international mission in Afghanistan as it switches from fighting the Taliban to training Afghan forces. | Insider attacks are a huge problem for the international mission in Afghanistan as it switches from fighting the Taliban to training Afghan forces. |
| Although the attackers make up only the tiniest portion of the Afghan security force, which is now over 300,000-strong, the shootings undermine trust critical to the training mission. This year alone there have been 45 insider attacks, two thirds of which ended with at least one death. Altogether over 60 people have been killed, about 15% of all foreign troop casualties in Afghanistan. | Although the attackers make up only the tiniest portion of the Afghan security force, which is now over 300,000-strong, the shootings undermine trust critical to the training mission. This year alone there have been 45 insider attacks, two thirds of which ended with at least one death. Altogether over 60 people have been killed, about 15% of all foreign troop casualties in Afghanistan. |
| A range of new protection measures including armed "guardian angels" to watch over foreign forces in all interactions with their Afghan counterparts have not stemmed the shootings, although they may have prevented some deaths. | A range of new protection measures including armed "guardian angels" to watch over foreign forces in all interactions with their Afghan counterparts have not stemmed the shootings, although they may have prevented some deaths. |
| Two Afghan soldiers who opened fire on Spanish troops in western Badghis province on Saturday were stopped and captured after they wounded just one of the group they targeted. In eight other insider attacks this year there have been injuries but no foreign soldiers killed, and in four attacks no foreign soldiers were injured. | Two Afghan soldiers who opened fire on Spanish troops in western Badghis province on Saturday were stopped and captured after they wounded just one of the group they targeted. In eight other insider attacks this year there have been injuries but no foreign soldiers killed, and in four attacks no foreign soldiers were injured. |
| • Additional reporting by Mokhtar Amiri | • Additional reporting by Mokhtar Amiri |
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