Afghan pilot shoots dead six Nato troops after row at air base

Six Nato soldiers were killed today when an Afghan air force pilot opened fire on foreign troops at a Kabul air base.

Witnesses said the man pulled out a gun and started shooting after an argument and Nato soldiers returned fire.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the gunman was impersonating an army officer and had killed nine foreigners and five Afghan soldiers. The Taliban are known to exaggerate the number of casualties caused by their attacks.

But defence ministry spokesman General Mohammad Zahir Azimi said the pilot, who was shot dead, was a veteran officer of 20 years and unlikely to be an impostor. He was named as Ahmad Gul, a 50-year-old pilot from Tarakhail district of Kabul province.

Gen Azimi said: "An argument happened between him and the foreigners and we have to investigate that."

Nato did not disclose the exact number or nationalities of the casualties until their families have been notified. The Ministry of Defence said no British servicemen were among the victims, although two RAF teams have been mentoring Afghan pilots at the facility. Afghan pilots now take the lead on combat missions but foreign troops remain in a training role.

Lt-Col David Simons, a spokesman for Nato's training mission, said small arms fire was reported at the airport at about 10.25am local time. He said: "A quick reaction force responded to the incident. At this time there are reports of Nato casualties."

The shooting is the latest in a string of attacks by Afghan security forces against their allies carried out by either "rogue" soldiers or by Taliban infiltrators in stolen uniforms.

Since March 2009, there have been 20 attacks, with 36 casualties, on coalition forces by Afghani soldiers or someone wearing a uniform used by them.

In February, two German soldiers were killed by a man wearing an Afghan army uniform and last November a border policeman shot and killed six US troops.