Kabul: At least one Nato soldier was killed in the eastern part of Afghanistan when a man wearing an Afghan army uniform opened fire on the troops, media reported on Friday.
An Afghan defense official said the incident took place in Kunar province in northeast Afghanistan. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.
NATO did not disclose the nationality of the trooper killed, but a Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. John Kirby, said the service member was an American.
Kirby said U.S. and allied officials are troubled that these attacks are continuing with some regularity despite efforts to improve the vetting of Afghans who are recruited into the army and police.
“It continues to be a very worrisome issue for us and for our Afghan partners,” Kirby said.
The coalition said an investigation into Friday’s attack was under way.
In a statement, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed the insurgent group was behind the shooting.
It was the 15th incident this year in which Afghan soldiers or insurgents disguised in military uniforms have turned their weapons on foreign troops.
The shootings have increased the level of mistrust between the U.S.-led coalition and its Afghan partners and raised questions about the readiness of local forces to take over from NATO ahead of a 2014 deadline for the withdrawal of foreign combat troops.
Before Friday, 88 NATO troops have been killed in such attacks since January 2007.
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