August 18, 2002	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Saani 8, 1423

KABUL, Aug 17: Two British soldiers died of gunshot wounds in Afghanistan on Saturday in an incident that did not involve enemy fire, their commanding officer said.

Colonel Simon Levey, commanding officer of British forces in Kabul, said no other person was thought to have been involved in the incident at Kabul Airport.

“It is with deepest regret that I have to inform you of a tragic event which occurred shortly before one o’clock this morning (2.30am PST),” Levey said in a statement.

“As a result of the incident, two British service personnel have been confirmed dead.”

Levey said an investigation was underway but it was known the British troops were not hit by enemy fire — suggesting an altercation, an accident or suicide.

“What I can tell you is that no other person or party is thought to have been involved in this incident and I can also confirm that both personnel suffered fatal gunshot wounds,” he said.

Hundreds of British troops are serving in the 20-nation peacekeeping force patrolling Kabul since the fall of the Taliban last year.

The Turkish-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) numbers around 5,000 soldiers.

A British soldier died after being accidentally shot in the head in April and three Danish and two German soldiers died in an accident in Kabul in March when two Soviet-era missiles exploded.—Reuters