Australia's defense ministry says an Afghan soldier has shot and seriously wounded three Australian soldiers at a base in southern Afghanistan.

Officials say the Afghan soldier was armed with an automatic weapon and a grenade launcher when he opened fire Tuesday at the base in Uruzgan province. The attack also wounded two Afghan soldiers.

A search was underway for the shooter, who fled in an Afghan army vehicle.

The attack comes less than two weeks after another Afghan soldier shot dead three Australian soldiers and wounded seven others during a parade.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Wednesday that while the incidents are “distressing” and “dreadful,” the country's mission in Afghanistan must continue.

Australia has 1,550 troops in Afghanistan, the largest number of any non-NATO member, with 32 deaths since it joined the NATO-led coalition.