Afghan policeman turns on his colleagues, kills 7

KABUL, Afghanistan — A local official says an Afghan policeman has turned his gun on his colleagues at a checkpoint in the south, killing seven policemen.

The shooting was the latest among so-called insider attacks in which Afghan forces or gunmen in Afghan police or army uniforms turn their weapon on Afghan colleagues or NATO allies.

Doost Mohammad Nayab, a spokesman in southern Uruzgan province, says the attack happened Tuesday night in the provincial capital of Tirin Kot. After killing seven policemen, the attacker stole their weapons and fled in a police car.

Nayab says the shooter had Taliban connections and blamed the insurgents for the attack.

Earlier Tuesday, a gunman dressed as an Afghan soldier turned on allied troops, killing an American major general and wounding about 15 U.S. and coalition forces.

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