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Afghan soldier killed after opening fire on Nato troops Afghan soldier killed after opening fire on Nato troops
(about 5 hours later)
An Afghan soldier opened fire on a foreign trainer from the officer academy meant as the UK's main legacy in Afghanistan, just days after its first recruits enrolled for class.
The attack ended with the gunman dead and his New Zealand target only slightly wounded, but the shooting casts a shadow over the start of the first term at the Sandhurst-inspired complex. An Afghan soldier has been killed at Afghanistan's Sandhurst-inspired officer academy, meant as Britain's main legacy, just days after its first recruits enrolled for class.
An initial class of 230 recruits began training last week, with journalists invited to see them put through their paces and tour the tents serving as temporary classrooms while work finishes on the permanent buildings. Eventually it could train up to 1,500 men and women a year, with 120 UK mentors supported by instructors from Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Denmark. The Afghan was shot after having an argument with a trainer from New Zealand and two Australian soldiers, all three of whom were also injured in the skirmish.
The brief gunfight broke out after the trainer had visited a nearby building at the Afghan National Defence University site in the mountainous western outskirts of Kabul. The UK-funded National Army Officers' Academy nestles alongside five other colleges including a foreign languages centre and a sergeants' training academy. The shooting casts a shadow over the start of the first term at the academy, which has been described as Sandhurst-in-the-sand. An initial class of 230 recruits began training last week, with journalists invited to see them put through their paces and tour the tents serving as temporary classrooms while work finishes on the permanent buildings.
Following an argument, the Afghan soldier fired three rounds before being shot dead by Australian soldiers who had been assigned to guard the trainer. Eventually it could train up to 1,500 men and women a year, with 120 UK mentors supported by instructors from Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Denmark.
The brief gunfight broke out after the trainer had visited a nearby building at the Afghan National Defence University site in the mountainous western outskirts of Kabul. The UK-funded National Army Officers' AcademyNAOA nestles alongside five other colleges including a foreign languages centre and a sergeants' training academy.
Following an argument, the Afghan soldier fired three rounds before being shot dead by the Australian soldiers who had been assigned to guard the trainer.
"The armed Afghan soldier had an argument with the [foreign] soldiers and after some minutes the misunderstanding escalated and he opened fire. The Afghan soldier was killed," said Daulat Waziri, the deputy spokesman for Afghanistan's ministry of defence. "It wasn't inside the [officer training] academy. It was inside one of the Afghan National Army military quarters nearby.""The armed Afghan soldier had an argument with the [foreign] soldiers and after some minutes the misunderstanding escalated and he opened fire. The Afghan soldier was killed," said Daulat Waziri, the deputy spokesman for Afghanistan's ministry of defence. "It wasn't inside the [officer training] academy. It was inside one of the Afghan National Army military quarters nearby."
The injuries to the Australian and New Zealand soldiers were apparently caused by shrapnel when a bullet fired at short-range at one of them disintegrated, a commander said. The injuries to the Australians and New Zealander were apparently caused by shrapnel when a bullet fired at short-range at one of them disintegrated, a commander said.
"Only one bullet that we're aware of hit, the second Australian returned fire and critically injured and possibly killed the Afghani," said Lieutenant General Rhys Jones, chief of the New Zealand Defence Force, who identified his injured soldier as an instructor from the officer academy."Only one bullet that we're aware of hit, the second Australian returned fire and critically injured and possibly killed the Afghani," said Lieutenant General Rhys Jones, chief of the New Zealand Defence Force, who identified his injured soldier as an instructor from the officer academy.
"Some of the shrapnel went into the arm of the Australian soldier that was hit, another part went into the foot [of the New Zealand soldier]," he was quoted telling a news conference. "Some of the shrapnel went into the arm of the Australian soldier that was hit, another part went into the foot [of the New Zealand soldier]," he told a news conference.
A spokesman for the Taliban said the insurgent group had not played any role in the shooting, even though they have been quick to claim responsibility for other attacks and urged Afghan soldiers and police to turn on their foreign mentors.A spokesman for the Taliban said the insurgent group had not played any role in the shooting, even though they have been quick to claim responsibility for other attacks and urged Afghan soldiers and police to turn on their foreign mentors.
A steady stream of insider attacks on both foreign and Afghan troops, by both insurgent sympathisers and angry loners, has undermined morale and raised questions about plans for a long-term training programme in the country.A steady stream of insider attacks on both foreign and Afghan troops, by both insurgent sympathisers and angry loners, has undermined morale and raised questions about plans for a long-term training programme in the country.
A series of Nato measures to protect its troops has cut the toll this year from a peak in 2013, when gunmen from police or army ranks accounted for around 15% of all foreign military deaths. The precautions include having armed "guardian angels", such as the Australians who ended Saturday's attack, watch over all meetings with Afghan counterparts. A series of Nato measures to protect its troops has cut the toll this year from a peak in 2012, when gunmen from police or army ranks accounted for around 15% of all foreign military deaths. The precautions include having armed "guardian angels", such as the Australians who ended Saturday's attack, watch over all meetings with Afghan counterparts.
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