One German soldier dead, nine injured in Afghanistan: report

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Berlin, Feb 18, IRNA -- At least one German soldier was killed and nine were injured in Afghanistan on Friday, four of them seriously, defense sources in Berlin told the German Press Agency (dpa).

It quoted sources as saying that an Afghan soldier had apparently gone on a shooting rampage in a German military base in Baghlan province.

There has been no official German confirmation yet on the deadly incident.

Dozens of German soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since the start of the war in that country in late 2001.

Germany, which only recently extended the Afghan military mandate for another year, has deployed around 4,900 troops in Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Most Germans are deeply opposed to the military mission in Afghanistan.

Berlin hopes to begin the pullout by the end of this year and conclude the withdrawal by 2014, depending on the Afghan security situation.