MEMO: Afghan army uniform shot dead two British troops

Monday 26 March 2012 A gunman in an Afghan army uniform shot dead two British troops inside a base in southern Afghanistan today. The attack in Lashkar Gar appeared to be the latest in a string of "green on blue" attacks in which Afghan security forces have turned on their international colleagues or mentors. They have become increasingly common over the past year, particularly since the burning of Korans at a US base in February which led to riots and the deaths of six US soldiers. Details were still sketchy about the latest incident. A Nato source confirmed the victims were British. A spokesman said that a man in an Afghan soldier's uniform turned his weapon against the soldiers. Coalition forces then returned fire. "The gunman was shot and killed," said a Nato spokesman. There have been more than 45 attacks by Afghans on Nato colleagues in Afghanistan since 2007, more than 7% of those in the last two years.