Gunman shoots dead two UK troops in Afghanistan

26 March 2012

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17510491

Two British service personnel have been killed by a gunman wearing an Afghan army uniform, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has said.

One was from the Royal Marines and the other was from the Adjutant General's Corps (Staff & Personnel Support). Their families have been told.

The shootings took place at the British military HQ in Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan. Nato said the attacker was then shot dead by its soldiers.

'Assailant killed'

A total of 407 British troops have been killed in Afghanistan since military operations began in 2001.

In a statement to the Commons, Mr Hammond said: "Our thoughts, as ever, are with their families, for whom this will be a deeply personal tragedy.

"Details of the incident are still emerging but it appears that a member of the Afghan National Army opened fire at the entrance gate to the British headquarters in Lashkar Gar city, killing the two British service personnel. "The assailant was killed by return fire."

Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said the victims were in the "thoughts of all of us". Mr Hammond made the announcement during a regular session of defence questions.

Spokesman for the UK's Task Force Helmand, Maj Ian Lawrence, said: "Sadly, I must report that a Royal Marine and a soldier from the Adjutant General's Corps were shot and killed by an Afghan Army soldier at the main entrance to Lashkar Gah Main Operating Base." "The thoughts and condolences of everyone serving in the Task Force are with their families and friends."

'Opened fire'

Earlier a spokesman for the governor of Helmand said the shooting followed a "verbal clash" between Afghan and Nato soldiers, and the Afghan involved was from Kunar province.

Lt Col Jimmie Cummings, spokesman for Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Kabul, told the BBC: "An individual wearing an Afghan national army uniform turned his weapon against Isaf force service members in southern Afghanistan today, killing two of our service members.

"The individual who opened fire was killed when coalition forces returned fire, and right now a joint Afghan and Isaf team are investigating this."

The Taliban have claimed that the gunman was "their man".

The attack appears to be the latest in a number of "green on blue" incidents - where members of the Afghan security forces turn their weapons on their international colleagues or trainers.

The number of these incidents has risen since the inadvertent burning of Korans at a US base in February.

Tensions were inflamed further by the killing of 17 Afghan civilians earlier this month.

US Staff Sgt Robert Bales, 38, has been charged with killing nine Afghan children and eight adults in their homes in Kandahar province on 11 March.