Afghan Policeman Shoots, Kills Two NATO Soldiers

Taliban Claims Credit for Southern Helmand Shooting

Two NATO soldiers were killed today in southern Helmand Province during a luncheon at an Afghan police base. The two were killed when a policeman opened fire on them. The policeman was wounded and is currently in the hospital.

The Taliban were quick to claim credit for the incident, insisting that the policeman was an “undercover Taliban agent.” Their statement also claimed that the attack had really killed 13 people instead of two.

NATO’s statement insisted that the killings “do not reflect the overall actions of our Afghan partners” and insisted that the war would continue. It is hardly the first time that such an incident has happened, however.

Indeed several attacks against NATO troops have happened recently. In late April an Afghan military pilot shot and killed nine Americans, including eight soldiers and a contractor, after a dispute at the Kabul Airport.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.