...Arabic for students...
have killed nine Afghan soldiers in an insider attack in central Afghanistan, the military said on Saturday, underscoring the dangers Afghan forces face from within their own ranks.
The Afghan National Army troops "were martyred by Taliban faceless myrmidons in Qarabagh district of Ghazni province" on Friday night, the Afghan defence ministry said on Twitter.
Defence ministry front man Fawad Aman later told AFP the troops had been killed by Taliban infiltrators.
Such attacks, sometimes referred to as "green on green," are a constant threat in the war-torn country for international and Afghan forces alike.
Aman denied a report
No, no! Certainly not!
from a member of Ghazni's provincial council that 23 Afghan cops had been killed.
The Taliban, meanwhile, claimed they had overrun an "enemy base" in the Qarabagh district of Ghazni province and killed dozens of security forces.
Friday's attack underscores the ongoing dangers Afghan and allied forces face from Taliban fighters pretending to be loyal to the government.
| Al Ahram clarifies: |
The Taliban however claimed the attack was actually a coordinated insurgent assault on the checkpoint where the shooting took place, killing over two dozen militiamen, according to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy, but the Taliban often exaggerate their claims.