Briton kills two in Afghan shootout

A British bodyguard killed two Afghan men in a shootout in the capital Kabul tonight.

Police Chief Bashir Salangi said the Briton, whose identity was not released, was injured in the clash and was in a hospital.

He said the bodyguard worked for a British security firm and was protecting an American man and his Afghan wife.

The shoot-out occurred at the Intercontinental Hotel, where mostly foreigners stay.

Police, who refused to speculate on the motive behind the shooting, scrambled to the hotel, cordoned off the area and removed the bodies, said witnesses.

The bodyguard’s injuries were not believed to have been life threatening.

Kabul is Afghanistan’s only city to be protected by international peacekeepers. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly said that security is the biggest hurdle his fledgling government faces.

Even Kabul, protected by 4,800 soldiers of the International Security Assistance Force, experiences regular incidents of violence, robberies and attacks.