Interpreter shoots two US soldiers in Afghanistan

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Position of Wardek Province within Afghanistan.

Two US soldiers killed in Afghanistan yesterday were shot by an Afghan interpreter in Wardek province south-west of Kabul, according to NATO. An official said the translator shot them at an eastern Afghanistan outpost before he was shot dead by other soldiers.

It is not yet clear why the interpreter started shooting; However, the attacker seemed to be a "disgruntled employee", as opposed to a militant, according to a US military official. The interpreter had supposedly argued with the soldiers over pay and treatment before opening fire. A US employee was also killed.

NATO originally only released a terse statement yesterday, stating that two soldiers and one civilian had been killed.

Elsewhere in Wardek province, four Afghan soldiers died in an airstrike by coalition forces. It is not thought that the two incidents are related. NATO called the deaths "regrettable" and is to carry out an investigation. The Afghan defence ministry is demanding punishment for the "murderers" responsible for the airstrike.

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Sources

Peter Graff and Hamid Shalizi. "Interpreter kills 2 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan" — Reuters, January 30, 2010
"Interpreter shoots dead two US soldiers in Afghanistan" — BBC News Online, January 30, 2010
AP. "Official: Afghan Interpreter Killed 2 U.S. Troops" — Fox News, January 30, 2010
"Interpreter kills 2 US soldiers in Afghanistan" — YNet, January 30, 2010
"Interpreter shot dead after killing 2 US soldiers" — PressTV, January 30, 2010
"Afghanistan calls for trial of US troops" — PressTV, January 30, 2010
"Two US soldiers, one civilian killed in Afghanistan" — AFP, January 30, 2010

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