-AP Photo

KABUL: Afghanistan's Taliban insurgents on Monday vowed revenge against “sick minded American savages” for the weekend rampage by a US soldier who killed 16 villagers in their homes.

The Taliban would “take revenge from the invaders and the savage murderers for every single martyr”, the Islamists said in a statement on their website.

The US soldier walked off his base and broke into the homes of villagers in Kandahar province's Panjwayi district before dawn Sunday, killing 16 people including women and children.

A soldier has been detained and the United States has offered condolences to the families and pledged that action will be taken against anyone found guilty of the massacre.

“A large number from amongst the victims are innocent children, women and the elderly, martyred by the American barbarians who mercilessly robbed them of their precious lives and drenched their hands with their innocent blood,” the Taliban said.

“The American 'terrorists' want to come up with an excuse for the perpetrator of this inhumane crime by claiming that this immoral culprit was mentally ill.

“If the perpetrators of this massacre were in fact mentally ill then this testifies to yet another moral transgression by the American military because they are arming lunatics in Afghanistan who turn their weapons against the defenceless Afghans without giving a second thought.”

While President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta both called Afghan President Hamid Karzai to express their condolences on the in incident.

Panetta vowed to “bring those responsible to justice.”

In a statement released Sunday by the White House, Obama said, “This incident is tragic and shocking, and does not represent the exceptional character of our military and the respect that the United States has for the people of Afghanistan.”

Panetta said a full investigation was under way.

The shootings come at a particularly sensitive and critical time for the US, just as violence over the burning of Muslim holy books at a US base was starting to calm down. The killings could further fuel calls for a more rapid withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

A US official said the suspect is a conventional soldier from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.

He was assigned to support a special operations unit of either Green Berets or Navy Seals engaged in a village stability operation.

Such operations are among Nato's best hopes for transitioning out of Afghanistan.

They pair special operations troops with local villagers chosen by village elders to become essentially a sanctioned, armed neighbourhood watch.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

Gen. John Allen, the top US commander in Afghanistan, issued a statement pledging a “rapid and thorough investigation” into the shooting spree, and said the soldier will remain in US custody.

The destruction of Qurans in a fire pit used to burn garbage last month sparked violent protests that killed some 30 people. Six US service members were killed in attacks by Afghan security forces since that incident, which US officials have apologized for and said was accidental.