NATO defends co-operation with Afghan forces despite Helmand attack

NATO has defended its efforts to prevent Taliban infiltration of the Afghan army and police following the deaths of five British soldiers in Helmand at the hands of an Afghan National Police (ANP) officer whom they were supposed to be mentoring.

The 3 November attack – which also left six British troops seriously wounded – forced NATO officials to defend the strategy of working so closely with Afghan forces in the hope that they will eventually be fit to assume full responsibility for the country's security.

Lieutenant Colonel David Hylton, public affairs officer for the NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan (NTM-A), told Jane's that, while this was "a rare incident", there had been five or six cases over the last year in which NATO forces had been attacked by men in army or police uniforms. Most recently, two US soldiers were killed by ANP officers while on patrol in Wardak in October.

However, Col Hylton stressed that "the vast majority [of Afghan forces] were hardworking, motivated and trustworthy".