Canadian soldiers have killed an Afghan National Police officer in a shooting that a military spokesman has described as a "regrettable incident."

The Canadians fired on a truckload of armed men who approached an artillery position west of Kandahar "at high speed and failed to heed warnings to stop," Col. Fred Lewis told reporters on Saturday. Four others travelling in the vehicle were hurt, he said.

Col. Fred Lewis said the soldiers acted in accordance with the rules of engagement.
(CBC)

Lewis said the Canadians tried to get the vehicle to stop by firing warning shots, but those travelling in the truck instead returned fire on the Canadians, sparking a shootout.

About half an hour later, a motorcyle carrying two people approached the same position at high speed, Canadian officials said. Canadian soldiers once again opened fire, wounding both motorcyclists.

"It would appear that Canadian soldiers reacted in self-defence in both incidents, one of which was regrettably a friendly force on friendly force engagement," Lewis said.

"I think the key here is that these Afghan national security force members were not in uniform," he said.

Lewis said the six who were injured were being treated at the Canadian-led multinational medical facility at Kandahar airfield, but he had no information about their medical conditions.

The shootings took place just days after a Canadian soldier shot and killed an Afghan boy and injured a teenager following an incident in which a Canadian convoy was struck by a suicide bomber.

 

With files from the Canadian Press