Wire: US Servicemember Killed by Afghan Soldier

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2009 -- Newswire services early this afternoon reported that NATO says a U.S. servicemember has died in a shooting incident in western Afghanistan.

The Associated Press reported that NATO offered no other details, but Afghan Gen. Jalander Shah Bahnam said an Afghan soldier opened fire Tuesday after NATO troops tried to prevent him from approaching an area where an allied helicopter was about to land. He said the American servicemember died and two Italian soldiers were injured.

Bahnam, the corps commander for the Afghan National Army's western region, said the NATO troops returned fire, injuring the Afghan soldier.

He said the incident happened at a military base in the Bala Murghab district of Badghis province

This is a developing story.

(Report from newswire sources.)