Man in Afghan army uniform kills German soldier

[February 18, 2011]  KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- A German soldier was killed and at least eight others wounded Friday when a man wearing an Afghan National Army uniform fired at coalition troops working on a vehicle in northern Afghanistan, according to NATO and German military officials.

It was one of several deadly incidents reported Friday across Afghanistan, which is expecting an escalation of violence as winter fades to spring. NATO said Friday's shooting, which is still being investigated, occurred before noon inside a coalition compound located in the Baghlan provincial capital of Pul-e-Khumri. Coalition troops returned fire, critically injuring the shooter, NATO said. At least eight people also were killed earlier Friday in a suicide bombing in Khost province along the Afghan border with Pakistan. More than 30 people identified as armed insurgents were killed by coalition troops firing from the air in Kunar province, a hotbed of the insurgency in the northeast. An insurgent leader was captured in Nangarhar province in the east and a coalition service member was killed in a bombing in the south. [Associated Press; By DEB RIECHMANN] Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.