The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the killing of five British soldiers by a rogue Afghan policeman, Gordon Brown told MPs.
The servicemen, three from the Grenadier Guards and two from the Royal Military Police, died when the officer turned his gun on them at a checkpoint in Nad-e-Ali in Helmand Province on Tuesday.
Another six British soldiers and two Afghan policemen were wounded in the shooting, which sent shockwaves through the coalition mission in Afghanistan.
Regret
Prime Minister Gordon Brown told the House of Commons that the Taliban had claimed responsibility for the killings.
Top British, US and Afghan commanders expressed deep regret for the incident, and pledged that it would be fully investigated.
Brigadier General Mirwais Noorzai, deputy regional commander of police, said Afghan officials were committed to uncovering the truth about what happened.
He told a press conference in Helmand's provincial capital, Lashkar Gah: "I have imparted our sympathy and regret to the families of the soldiers killed."
Sitting alongside him, Major General Nick Carter, the British commander of Nato troops in southern Afghanistan, stressed that it was a joint investigation between foreign forces and the Afghan authorities.
Commitment
“This absolutely demonstrates the top-level commitment of the Afghan government into coming to terms and finding out what took place in this incident and learning the appropriate lessons from it,” he said.
The British servicemen were living and working at the checkpoint as part of a team mentoring Afghan National Police (ANP) officers.
The Afghan policeman apparently fired without warning before anyone could respond, then fled the scene.
Sources named the attacker as a man called Gulbuddin and suggested he was connected to the Taliban, the BBC reported.
One of the soldiers who died was named as Matthew Telford, from the Grimsby area.
His uncle, William Ferrand, told the BBC: “It was his job and he loved doing it. Nobody wants their family to go out there but it's what he wanted to do.”
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ENGINEER, Heywood (04/11/2009 at 15:24)
Guten Tag, Manchester (04/11/2009 at 16:29)
Local lad, outsidethebox (04/11/2009 at 16:41)
Redberry, Manchester (04/11/2009 at 16:59)
These people cannot be trusted and as in the past the UK and US have trained Muslim states in the art of warfare only to have them use what our troops have taught them against the West. The reason we have our brave soldiers in Afghanistan is to prevent the Taliban taking over and using it as a base for terrorism. There is also a fear that they will eventually overrun Pakistan where they could get their hands on nuclear weapons. I think our brave troops should now come home and protect the homeland from the criminals and terrorists that are already here and are plotting atrocities now. Also protect our borders from terrorists acting as asylum seekers and illegal immigrants who may possible be coming into the UK to commit crime or attacks on our people. Yes I am bitter and sick of international aid be it in the form of our troops or finance to countries who are our future enemy's.
My heart go's out to the families of the soldiers who were murdered by an Afghan trainee who they trusted.
brian prendergast (04/11/2009 at 17:11)
Redcap49, Stockport (04/11/2009 at 17:16)
bat 21 (04/11/2009 at 17:44)
Guten Tag, Manchester (04/11/2009 at 18:16)
PW, Manchester (04/11/2009 at 18:45)
Joe Pub, Manchester (04/11/2009 at 21:32)
Tony Blair has walked away, put it all in the hands of his incompetent colloquial colleague Gorden Brown, all words no wisdom.
PW, is correct, evacuate Afghanistan, and defend our homelands, as we are the invaders over there.
Tony Blair should now be arrested for war crimes.
It may be 33 yrs but it will never be 37yrs. (05/11/2009 at 00:14)
My father served in North Africa with the 8th army in the Second World War and he always said never trust an Arab one minute they are your friend the next they want to kill you, tragically it looks like something akin to what my father said has happened here.
We are sending soldiers to Afghanistan to give these people some sort of civilized country, is it worth it? Would it not be best as it has been suggested on here to bring them home and tighten our borders? There are illegal Afghans and Iraqis coming into this country everyday how many of them have this same mindset better still train these illegal’s into a police force then send them back fully trained without Taliban influences it could be done.
readersdigest (05/11/2009 at 11:30)
Lets tighten the borders stop all immigration now and begin a process of checking the immigrants who are here now, it is quite concievable that many were or have been involved in war crimes either in Africa or Eastern Europe. How many could be involved in terrorism either as sympathisers or as active members.
Lets start looking after ourselves and stop trying to be the saviour of the third world.
PW, Manchester (05/11/2009 at 13:02)
Britain should no longer be trying to make itself out as a self-appointed world policeman by invading and occupying countries and effecting regime change. For one thing, we don't have the money (ill-equipped soldiers for example), and besides, our Government shows itself to be a gutless wonder at home in many other ways. I also have every respect for our forces, who I believe should be used to directly defend our homeland in this day and age.
vinay, rochdale (05/11/2009 at 21:50)