Policeman kills a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan
Published: October 16, 2008

KABUL: An Afghan policeman opened fire and threw a hand grenade at a U.S. military patrol in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing an American soldier and raising fears that insurgents have infiltrated the police force.

The police officer standing on a tower attacked the American foot patrol returning to a base in the Bermel district of eastern Paktika Province on Thursday, the U.S. military said. The troops returned fire, killing the policeman.

It was the second attack on U.S. forces by an Afghan policeman in less than a month. In September, an officer opened fire on U.S. troops at a police station in eastern Afghanistan, killing one American soldier and wounding three. U.S. forces killed the policeman.

Militants in Afghanistan have used police and army uniforms in the past when conducting attacks on Afghan and foreign troops, but these two incidents involved real policemen.

Separately, an airstrike by foreign troops in southern Helmand Province killed several women and children, the provincial police chief, Assadullah Sherzad, said.

NATO said in a statement that it was aware of an airstrike Thursday in the Nad Ali district, but were "unable to confirm any civilian casualties."