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Servicemen 'shot by Afghan soldier' Servicemen shot by Afghan soldier 'with a personal grievance'
(about 2 hours later)
Two soldiers were gunned down by a rogue member of the Afghan army after a row at the gates of their base, an inquest has heard. Two soldiers were gunned down by a rogue Afghan soldier with a "personal grievance" after a row at the gates of their base, an inquest has heard.
Sgt Luke Taylor, 33, from Bournemouth, and Burnley-born L/Cpl Michael Foley, 25, were shot dead at British forces' HQ in Helmand last March.Sgt Luke Taylor, 33, from Bournemouth, and Burnley-born L/Cpl Michael Foley, 25, were shot dead at British forces' HQ in Helmand last March.
Afghan troops had been turned away prompting an angry reaction.Afghan troops had been turned away prompting an angry reaction.
L/Cpl Foley was shot as he opened the gates and Sgt Taylor was killed in the ensuing fire fight. L/Cpl Foley was shot in the head and neck as he opened a gate and Sgt Taylor died in the ensuing fire fight.
The inquest in Oxford heard an Afghan commander had started "kicking off" after not being allowed to enter the base due to security arrangements. He was hit in the left side of his chest with the bullet damaging his lung and aorta.
Afghan soldiers had to unload their weapons and be escorted in, the inquest heard. The inquest in Oxford heard the Afghan was waiting outside the base with other men to collect a VIP on 26 March 2012.
'Personal grievance' They were not allowed to enter the base due to security arrangements and became increasingly agitated.
Cpl Daniel Taylor, who was on guard, said he "heard a short burst of rounds". Shortly after 10:00 a nearby gate was opened as a local interpreter was escorting a civilian from the base.
"It happened so fast... I picked up my weapon and made ready on the run. No insurgency link
"I saw the ANA [Afghan National Army] in blue jumpsuit with light machine gun... within a nano-second another burst of fire came and the ANA fell." Deputy coroner Alison Thompson said: "That opening of the gate provided an opportunity for a man with an intent..."
Major Anthony Fyson spoke about the threat levels at Lashkar Gar HQ on the day of the shooting, 26 March 2012. After bursting through the gate the Afghan National Army (ANA) sergeant unloaded rounds from a machine gun before being shot dead, the hearing heard.
He said all UK soldiers were "aware of the threat" from ANA soldiers. Ms Thompson added: "The ANA soldier was believed to be acting on his own with a personal grievance rather than with insurgents... this was a shocking, appalling, unexpected thing to happen."
The soldier who killed Sgt Taylor and L/Cpl Foley was a sergeant in the ANA who had been deployed in Helmand for four years, he told the inquest. Major Anthony Fyson told the inquest that the ANA sergeant had been deployed in Helmand for four years and there was "no evidence linking him to the insurgency".
Maj Fyson went on to say having looked "at the information we had the motivation appears to be a personal grievance". Speaking about the threat levels at Lashkar Gar HQ on the day of the shooting, he said all UK soldiers were "aware of the threat" from ANA soldiers.
He said that there was "no evidence linking him to the insurgency". Security at the base has been increased following the attack.
Security at the base has been increased following the attack, it was heard. 'No witch hunt'
The men's widows tried to get the inquest adjourned to enable another British soldier to be called as a witness.
They wanted Cpl David Rose, who was on cover position at the gate, to answer questions about why he was seated at the time of the attack.
In a written statement he said he was near the gate with a full view of it.
But Ms Thompson ruled against the application saying her "legal roll is to ascertain how the men died" not if the deaths could have been prevented.
She said, although sympathetic to the families' position, she did not want the inquest to become "a witch hunt" where blame was cast.
"It is not for me to make criticism of the soldiers and the way they operated, or attack individuals in relation to their responsibility for this tragic event."
The coroner recorded verdicts of unlawful killing while on active service overseas.
Royal Marine Sgt Luke Taylor and L/Cpl Foley, of the Adjutant General's Corps, were praised by their commanding officers.Royal Marine Sgt Luke Taylor and L/Cpl Foley, of the Adjutant General's Corps, were praised by their commanding officers.
The hearing continues.