New Zealand SAS soldier killed in Kabul | Stuff.co.nz
A New Zealand special forces soldier has been killed in a Taleban attack on British Council diplomatic offices in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

A Defence Force source confirmed late last night that a New Zealand SAS soldier was among at least ten people killed in the assault, which marked the 92nd anniversary of Afghanistan's independence from Britain.

The soldier's name would not be released until next of kin had been notified.

The source confirmed that SAS troops were engaged in last night's incident in a background support role.

The Afghan Crisis Response Unit, mentored by the SAS, was involved in repelling a five-hour firefight Taleban attack on the British diplomatic offices. "The SAS was there in a support role," the Defence source said.

The Guardian website reported that journalists were ordered to stop taking photos when what appeared to be a seriously hurt New Zealander was taken by stretcher from the building and loaded on to a medevac helicopter. Scores of Afghan and Nato troops surrounded a compound strewn with wooden and metal debris while two helicopters hovered above.

A Ministry of Interior spokesman said at least 12 people were wounded during the assault.

"Eight members of the Afghan national police and one foreign soldier were killed," Mohammad Zahir, head of criminal investigations for the Kabul police, told Reuters.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said he spoke with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and thanked him for the troops' role in ending the raid, in which 10 people were thought to have been killed.

"It's obviously a tragic but cowardly act that has been undertaken but it won't succeed and it won't deflect us from the vital work we are doing in Afghanistan," Cameron said.

Key said the Government was saddened by the death of the soldier.

"I have limited details about the soldier’s death, but I am advised that he died during fighting that followed an attack by insurgents in Kabul in the last few hours."

"On behalf of the Government, I want to offer my condolences to the family of the soldier.

"His death is a reminder of the dangers our Defence Force personnel face while serving in Afghanistan," Key said.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp also acknowledged the news, and offered his condolences to the family of the soldier. He said he mourned the loss.

A Reuters photograph taken at the scene showed what appeared to be a white male being lifted on to a stretcher with blood across his back and a wound to the back of his head.

Earlier, police believed there were foreign people trapped inside the building, and as many as three assailants were believed holed up there.

By afternoon, there was one left.

"There is one suicide bomber left alive in the bulletproof basement of the British Council," a ministry official said later.

Afghan and Nato troops were trying to kill him.

WARNING TO BRITAIN

A Reuters witness heard a large explosion shortly after 1 pm local time, the seventh of the day, in what the Ministry of Interior source said could have been an attempt to kill the last attacker or him detonating an explosive.
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The Taleban said they were sending two messages: One to the Afghan government and one to the British," spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.

"We are now reminding them that we will become independent again from all foreigners, especially from the British," Mujahid said, referring to Afghanistan's independence from British rule 92 years ago, which the country was marking on Friday.

The Nato-led force in Afghanistan also confirmed there had been two explosions near the British Council, which is a state-funded agency running mainly cultural programs. It is not part of the main British embassy in the diplomatic area of Kabul.

Security was beefed up across the capital ahead of the date.

After the United States, Britain has the second-largest force in the Nato-led war against the Taleban, with around 9,500 troops.

Mujahid declined to say how many bombers the Islamist group used for the attacks, which come a month after Nato handed over security responsibilities to the Afghans in several areas across the country, as part of a gradual transition process to be completed by the end of 2014.

Afghan forces have been given responsibility for the city of Kabul since 2008, when Nato handed over security control, but in reality Nato forces still police the area heavily.

There is growing unease in the United States and Europe about the costly and increasingly violent war that has dragged on for 10 years, causing US lawmakers to question whether bringing home all combat troops by 2014 is fast enough.

Nato and the United States earlier this year reluctantly backed Kabul's peace plan, which involves reconciliation with some members of the Taleban. The Taleban have repeatedly said they will not negotiate with the Afghan government until all foreign forces have stopped fighting in their country.

NEW ZEALAND DEATHS IN AFGHANISTAN

Two other New Zealanders were killed in Afghanistan last year.

They were Lieutenant Timothy O'Donnell, 28, from Feilding who died in August 2010 when his three-vehicle patrol was attacked with explosives, rocket propelled grenades and gunfire in north-east Bamiyan Province and Private Jack Howard, 23 of Wellington who was killed in December 2010 while serving as a member of the 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, with the British Army in Afghanistan. He was killed by "friendly fire" on patrol in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province.