Nato halts work with Afghan allies to stem insider attacks

Nato ordered a cutback on Tuesday on operations alongside Afghan forces in response to a surge of “insider attacks” on foreign servicemen, a decision that could complicate plans to hand security over to Afghan forces ahead of a 2014 drawdown.

The order, issued by the second most senior US commander in Afghanistan, Lieutenant-General James Terry, indefinitely suspends joint operations for units smaller than 800-strong battalions, where most training and mentoring takes place.

“The need for that will be evaluated on a case by case basis and approved by regional commanders,” said Major Adam Wojack, a spokesman for the 100,000-strong Nato-led force backing the Afghan government against Taliban insurgents.

The order, Wojack said, would impact on the “vast majority” of the 350,000 members of the Afghan security forces who will now have to operate without support from Nato-force allies. That will deal a blow to Nato’s longstanding focus on training.

At least 51 members of Nato’s Afghan force have been killed in insider attacks this year, in which Afghan police or soldiers have turned their weapons on their Western mentors. That represents a spike of more than 40 per cent on similar incidents for the whole of last year.

The order was issued after weekend attacks by Afghan police in which six foreign soldiers were killed in the south, where the Taliban draw most support.