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Three British soldiers were killed and four hurt at their base in Helmand today when an Afghan army sergeant opened fire with a machinegun and rocket-propelled grenade launcher.It is thought that one of the men from 1st Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles was shot dead as he slept in his tent at 2.30am Afghan time.
Echoes: One of the victims stretchered from a plane
The other two were on duty in a command centre at the base in Nahr-e Saraj but would not have stood a chance when the man they considered an ally launched his attack without warning.
One of the dead is believed to be a Nepalese Gurkha and the other two were described as UK nationals. Their families were being told today.
The Kabul government branded the soldier a “traitor” and Defence Secretary Liam Fox said: “This is a despicable and cowardly act.” The Afghan fled but his identity is known. As special forces joined in the hunt a military source said: “We are going to track him down.”
It is the second time in nine months that British troops have been killed by members of the Afghan security forces they are training. Afghan president Hamid Karzai apologised for today's attack. General David Petraeus, commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan, urged his men to continue trusting each other: “This is a joint mission, Afghan and Alliance troopers fighting shoulder-to-shoulder against the Taliban and other extremists. We have sacrificed greatly together, and we must ensure that the trust between our forces remains solid in order to defeat our common enemies. I offer sincere condolences to the families and the fellow service members of our fallen comrades.”
Seeking to maintain morale among UK forces, he added: “The vast majority of your Afghan partners are real genuine partners and you'll know that because you work together every day.”
He stressed that the Nato mission would not succeed unless Afghan forces were trained up to take over security responsibilities. The fatalities take the British military death toll in the nine-year conflict to 317.
Last November five British soldiers were killed when an Afghan policeman opened fire in a military compound in the Nad-e Ali district. The men, three Grenadier Guards and two military policemen, were off duty and had removed their body armour and helmets as they relaxed after a patrol with Afghan police.
Six other soldiers were injured. The policeman escaped on a motorbike and has not been caught.
Nato and the Afghan security forces have launched a joint investigation into the latest killings.
General Sher Mohammad Karimi, the Afghan Army Chief of Staff, said: “The loss of any of our coalition partners affects us deeply.”
Spokesman Waheed Omar said president Karzai was upset to hear reports that Afghan troops were responsible. “It's a very unfortunate attack and the government of Afghanistan will do everything to make sure the proper traitors are brought to justice,” Mr Omar said.
In the past insurgents have claimed to have deliberately infiltrated the Afghan security forces.
The attack is a setback to Nato's mission to rapidly train the Afghan army and the police to allow US and British troops to start pulling out.
The UK is deploying 300 more troops to Afghanistan, taking the British force to 9,800 plus special forces. But Mr Cameron has made clear he wants to bring British soldiers home by 2015.
Anyone worried about relatives serving in Afghanistan can call a special helpline on 08457 800 900.
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