2 NATO soldiers killed by gunmen in Afghan military uniforms

NATO is meeting at the request of Turkey — (Image credit: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

On Wednesday, two men in "Afghan National Defense and Security Forces uniforms" opened fire on a vehicle carrying NATO troops at an Afghan military base in southern Helmand province, killing two NATO soldiers, the U.S.-led international coalition said in a statement. The two gunmen were killed when the NATO troops returned fire. NATO did not disclose the names or nationalities of the slain coalition soldiers.

Wednesday's attack was the third "insider attack" this year by people dressed in Afghan police or military uniforms, and the second on NATO troops (the third attack killed three U.S. military contractors). There are about 13,000 NATO troops still in Afghanistan, and their mission has shifted to training and advising Afghanistan's security forces.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.