Afghan soldier opens fire on US invader troops, kills 3

An Afghan soldier has killed three American soldiers serving with the US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the southeastern Paktika Province, Press TV reports.

Local authorities said the killings occurred in the Khair Kot District of the province on Saturday, when a man in Afghan army uniform opened fire on US forces.

They added that at least two other soldiers were injured in the incident, which happened on the same day that an Italian soldier was killed, and three others wounded after their armored vehicle was attacked by a group of militants in western Afghanistan.

There are reports that the vehicle was part of a convoy of the Military Advisor Team of the Transition Support Unit South (TSUS).

The latest attack by Afghan security forces on foreign troops comes at a sensitive time for the United States and its allies, since they are preparing to withdraw the majority of their troops by 2014 under a plan that requires Afghan forces to take responsibility for the country’s security.

According to official figures released by the website icasualties.org, the overall number of the US-led soldiers killed so far this year in Afghanistan stands at 81, of which 61 are American.

The month of May was designated as the deadliest month this year for US-led troops in Afghanistan with a death toll of 26.

A total of 402 US-led soldiers lost their lives in Afghanistan in 2012. However, 2010 remains the deadliest year for US-led military casualties, with a death toll of 711.

Attacks on foreign troops are expected to rise in the next months, as Taliban militants have announced the beginning of their spring offensive across Afghanistan.

The militant group said it would use “every possible tactic” to inflict casualties on Afghan and US-led forces, specifically mentioning insider and bomb attacks.

The announcement prompted the Afghan authorities to beef up security in major cities across the country, including the capital city of Kabul.

The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but the country is still gripped by insecurity.