US soldier kills 16 Afghans in unprovoked rampage

A US soldier walked out of a base in southern Afghanistan before dawn and shot dead 16 Afghan civilians, including nine children and three women.

The shooting looks certain to deepen strains between US forces and their Afghan hosts after weeks of violence triggered by Americans burning Muslim holy books at a US base.

The burnings sparked violent protests and attacks that killed some 30 people. Six US service members have been killed in attacks by their Afghan colleagues since the Koran burnings came to light.

Nato officials apologised for yesterday’s shootings.

“I wish to convey my profound regrets and dismay at the actions apparently taken by one coalition member in Kandahar province,” said a statement from Lieutenant General Adrian Bradshaw, the deputy commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan.

“One of our soldiers is reported to have killed and injured a number of civilians in villages adjacent to his base. I cannot explain the motivation behind such callous acts, but they were in no way part of authorised ISAF military activity.”

The shooting took place in two villages in the Panjwai district of southern Kandahar province — Balandi and Alkozai. The villages are about 500 yards away from a US base.

The shooting started around 3am, said Asadullah Khalid, the government representative for southern Afghanistan and a member of the delegation that went to investigate the incident. He said that he had tallied 16 dead.

Washington and Kabul are negotiating a long-term strategic partnership deal governing their relations after US-led combat troops pull out in 2014.