Wire: Afghan Soldier Kills 2 US Servicemembers

Off the Wire:

UPDATE: The Assocated Press is reporting that the assailiant was "wearing an ANP (Afghan National Police) uniform."

The U.S. military said two American troops were killed by "an individual wearing an ANP (Afghan National Police) uniform" in Wardak province on Friday. Shahidullah Shahid, a spokesman for the Wardak provincial governor, said the policeman fired on the Americans while they were patrolling together Friday night, killing two and injuring two.

Halim Fidai, governor of Wardak, said two people who recommended the alleged assailant for his job were in custody for questioning. Fidai also said a joint team of American and Afghan officials was investigating the attack, interviewing both the American soldiers and the Afghans who had been on the patrol to learn what happened and how the gunman escaped.

[. . .]

Over a period of less than a month last year, Afghan policemen twice attacked American soldiers in the east. In October 2008, a policeman hurled a grenade and opened fire on a U.S. foot patrol, killing one soldier. In September 2008, an officer opened fire at a Paktia police station, killing a soldier and wounding three before he was fatally shot.

Most recently, in Kabul, an American service member and an Afghan police officer argued because the American was drinking water in front of police during the Ramadan fast, prompting the police officer to shoot the American. Other American troops responded and seriously wounded the Afghan.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that an Afghan soldier on guard at a joint base with U.S. troops shot dead two American servicemembers and wounded two others as they slept, a provincial official said on Saturday.

Shahedullah Shahed, spokesman for the governor of Wardak province west of Kabul, said the shooting took place after a combined team of Afghan and U.S. forces had returned from a joint operation late on Friday, according to a report by the Reuters news service.

"The Americans were in the middle of sleep when an Afghan soldier on duty opened fire on them," Shahed said.

"We have no clue as to why he shot them."

A statement from NATO-led forces said two American soldiers died from injuries suffered in a "hostile attack" in eastern Afghanistan on Friday. A press officer for the Western troops said he could give no further details of the incident.

(Report from newswire sources.)