2 more U.S. troops killed by Afghans

KABUL -- Two U.S. troops were gunned down by two Afghan soldiers and an accomplice yesterday, making it six American service members killed by their Afghan partners since the burning of Muslim holy books at a U.S. base last week.

The latest victims were killed on a joint U.S.-Afghan base in Zhari district of southern Kandahar province by two Afghan soldiers and a civilian literacy instructor who fired from a sentry tower, according to U.S. and Afghan officials. NATO shot and killed two of the assailants, apparently the soldiers, said Pentagon press secretary George Little.

On Feb. 25, two U.S. military advisers were found dead with shots to the back of the head inside the Afghan Interior Ministry in Kabul. Two U.S. troops were killed Feb. 23 by an Afghan soldier during a protest over the Quran burning.

The U.S. apologized for the burning, saying the Islamic texts were mistakenly sent to a garbage burn pit Feb. 20 at Bagram Air Field. But the incident raised what had been simmering animosity toward outsiders to a full boil.

Policeman Khalid Khiri, 25, turns his head now and spits when he sees a U.S. military convoy roll by. He said it was fine to fight alongside the Americans, but, "If they're going to burn the Quran, we don't want them here. They will never be forgiven for betraying the holy book." -- AP