British contractor among three foreigners shot dead by Afghan soldier

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/23/british-contractor-shot-dead-afghanistan

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A British civilian contractor was among three foreigners shot dead by an Afghan soldier on Sunday.

David Chamberlain, from Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, was killed in the western city of Herat alongside two US colleagues when the soldier opened fire.

The three men were all civilians employed by the border management task force, which trains police recruits at the regional training centre on the outskirts of the city. Chamberlain, who was in his 40s and had two children, was believed to have been in Afghanistan since February last year.

A source told the Press Association: "Everyone involved is in a state of shock. All of us know the dangers but do not expect it to happen like that. There are rocket attacks and roadside bombs but one thing you never see coming are the people you are training."

The gunman was shot dead after he opened fire on a group sitting outside one of the buildings. Commanders initially believed an accomplice had escaped and ordered a lockdown of military bases in the area. An Afghan translator and another US trainer were injured, the latter severely.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm a British national working as a contracted civilian employee for Isaf (international security assistance force) in western Afghanistan was killed. The next of kin have been informed. We are providing consular assistance."

Herat, a bustling commercial centre near the border with Iran, is in one of Afghanistan's more peaceful regions. But the attack was the latest in a growing number of assaults by Afghan police and soldiers who have opened fire on the foreign forces who are training them.

On Monday, another Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier turned his weapon on Isaf forces in northern Afghanistan. Last year, 35 soldiers were killed in such attacks on Nato soldiers and employees, and there have been 30 deaths already this year.

The Afghans who have turned on foreign mentors account for only a small portion of the Afghan national security forces, now more than 300,000-strong, and Nato commanders argue that many are driven by personal grudges rather than loyalty to the Taliban or other groups.

But the killings are disproportionately damaging to morale in the critical mission to bolster the Afghan police and army as foreign troops begin heading home. The attacks, known as "green on blue" by the military, have become such a commonplace threat that some foreign units are watched by armed "guardian angels" from their own ranks.