Afghan Officials: NATO Troops Kill Afghan Police

Posted August 10th, 2011 at 8:50 am (UTC-5)
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Afghan officials say NATO troops have killed four Afghan police officers during a clash in the country's south.

Provincial officials say the two sides exchanged gunfire late Tuesday in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, but that it is unclear how the shooting started.

An investigation team has been sent to the area to determine the cause of the firefight, during which two other Afghan policemen were wounded.

A NATO spokesman said the coalition is aware of the incident and is also investigating.

Another gunbattle between international troops and Afghan police broke out in the eastern province of Ghazni.

Afghan police said Wednesday that the two sides briefly exchanged gunfire for about 15 minutes after NATO forces approached an Afghan police checkpoint and did not stop. A probe into the incident is being launched.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Hamid Karzai is urging clerics to denounce the use of turbans in suicide attacks.

A spokesman for Mr. Karzai said the president has met with clerics and called on them to condemn hiding bombs under turbans and other religious attire, including burqas.

Suicide bombers carried out two separate attacks last month with bombs hidden under turbans, including an attack that killed the mayor of Kandahar.