Rogue Afghan soldier kills two French soldiers

[News_Editor]

Rogue Afghan soldier kills two French soldiers

2011-12-29 22:16:46 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- Two French soldiers were killed in eastern Afghanistan on early Thursday morning when a rogue Afghan soldier opened fire at them, the French presidential palace and military officials said. The attacker was also killed.

The shooting attack happened in the Tagab valley of Kapisa province when an Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier opened fire at French troops which are part of the NATO-led International Security Force (ISAF), killing two of them and injuring several.

"An individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform turned his weapon against two French Foreign Legion service members," an ISAF spokesperson said. "The shooter was killed when ISAF forces returned fire. ISAF is investigating the incident."

The French government said the victims were part of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment in the French Foreign Legion. "[President Nicolas Sarkozy] extends his condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and shares their pain," Élysée Palace said in a statement. "The Head of State expressed, again, the determination of France to continue to work within ISAF to restore peace and stability in the country and contribute to its development."

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack, although the claim could not be verified. "Ibrahim (the alleged name for the attacker), who is reported to have joined the puppet army for specific purposes, fulfilled his mission by taking out 3 French invading troops and wounding a number of them after he had opened fire on a group of the French terrorists," Mujahid said. "He was shot and martyred by the invaders in an exchange of fire."

The Taliban spokesman claimed three French soldiers were killed, which was rejected by military officials. The insurgent group frequently exaggerates casualty claims for propaganda purposes, and the group is also known to falsely claim credit for attacks carried out by other groups or incidents which were not related to terrorism.

Thursday's deaths raise the number of coalition troops killed in Afghanistan so far this year to 563, down from 709 in 2010, according to official figures. A majority of the fallen troops were American and were killed in the country's south, which is plagued by IED attacks on troops and civilians.

There are currently more than 130,000 ISAF troops in Afghanistan, including some 90,000 U.S. troops and more than 3,900 French soldiers. U.S. President Barack Obama previously ordered a drawdown of 23,000 U.S. troops next year, and foreign combat troops are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-12-29

[softgeorge]

This has happened on two separate occassions to Australian troops as well. You can't really trust the people who you are fighting alongside of. A lot like the vietnam war, you just don't know who is friend or who is foe.

[pointoffew]

If the Taliban is referred to as "the insurgent group", the ISAF troops could be referred to as "foreign fighters" or "mercenaries".

[koheesti]

This has happened on two separate occassions to Australian troops as well. You can't really trust the people who you are fighting alongside of. A lot like the vietnam war, you just don't know who is friend or who is foe.

If you take a gun and invade a foreign country and kill the locals its very clear who is the the enemy.

What was your other TV member name? I mean, who joins the Thai Visa forum and goes directly to the World News forum? You have 10 posts - ALL in World News. Normally a new user will find the World News section after posting a while in the visa section, or one of the local forums. Did you get banned or something and you are trying to trick the mods?

btw - the Taliban aren't all Afghans either. Plenty of foreign help from across the border.

Edited January 1, 2012 by koheesti

[Steely Dan]

This has happened on two separate occassions to Australian troops as well. You can't really trust the people who you are fighting alongside of. A lot like the vietnam war, you just don't know who is friend or who is foe.

If you take a gun and invade a foreign country and kill the locals its very clear who is the the enemy.

What was your other TV member name? I mean, who joins the Thai Visa forum and goes directly to the World News forum? You have 10 posts - ALL in World News. Normally a new user will find the World News section after posting a while in the visa section, or one of the local forums. Did you get banned or something and you are trying to trick the mods?

Hello BKK Eddy.

[Ulysses G.]

Give him more credit. I suspect that he is a number of banned former members.

Edited January 3, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[Scott]

The topic is a Rogue Afghan soldier; not a Rogue Thaivisa member. Your concern for the safety of other posters however, is appreciated.