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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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6

Rogue Afghan Cop Kills 5 Brit Soldiers

Culprit escapes after turning weapon on training team

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(Newser) – Five British soldiers died in Helmand province yesterday after a rogue Afghan cop opened fire on a group of Afghan policemen and their British mentors drinking tea together. The mentors had been training the Afghans for two weeks when one of the trainees turned his weapon on them without warning. The gunman then fled the scene on a motorbike.

The culprit, who may have had Taliban ties, also wounded six British soldiers and two Afghan policemen. Coming a month after an Afghan policeman killed two Americans, the incident raises questions about Western training of Afghan police vulnerable to Taliban recruitment. A British military official called the incident a "bolt from the blue" and vowed that "no stone will be left unturned" in catching the killer, the Times of London reports.

A casualty is loaded into an ambulance before being taken to a base hospital in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, after five British soldiers were shot dead in an attack.
A casualty is loaded into an ambulance before being taken to a base hospital in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, after five British soldiers were shot dead in an attack.   (AP Photo/APTN)
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, a casualty is unloaded into an ambulance before being taken to a base hospital in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, after five British soldiers were shot dead in an attack.
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, a casualty is unloaded into an ambulance before being taken to a base hospital in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, after five British soldiers were shot dead in an attack.   (AP Photo/APTN)
Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown addresses UK troops at Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008.
Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown addresses UK troops at Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008.   (AP Photo / Lewis Whyld)
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6 comments
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Gallavant
Nov 4, 09 7:22 AM CST
The world isn't any less messed up this morning, then. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
bewilderbeast
Nov 9, 09 4:58 AM CST
Nope. And as long as their are foreign, strange-looking, funny-talking people in a country there will be "patriots" in that country willing to blow their invader brains out. NO-ONE can EVER like someone else lording it over them in their own land. GET OUT OF AFGHANISTAN, America. Just GO HOME.
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AOgan
Nov 4, 09 8:13 AM CST
Quite honestly, I'm surprised that they haven't used this tactic sooner. It's hard to fight an enemy when your only way of identifying them is their belief. Reply
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Spudsy
Nov 4, 09 1:05 PM CST
Since the Afghans refuse to completely get religion out of their government, I am afraid that we are only picking one evil over the other over there. We should just make a deal that if the Taliban gives us Al Qaida they can have their shitty country back. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
Middleman
Nov 5, 09 12:06 AM CST
Actually we tried that. They refused, we invaded...
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