Afghanistan gunman kills 2 British soldiers

Two British soldiers were shot dead by a gunman in Afghan police uniform, Britain's defence ministry said Saturday.

The soldiers from 3rd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment died Saturday at a checkpoint in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand Province, the defence ministry said. Their families have been informed.

NATO had earlier said a man believed to be a member of the Afghan local police had killed two international service members, but did not disclose their nationalities.

NATO said the gunman was killed during the attack.

A rising number of "green on blue" attacks by Afghan personnel is complicating plans to train Afghan forces so that most foreign troops can withdraw from the country by the end of 2014.

So far this year, 47 international service members have died at the hands of Afghan soldiers or policemen or insurgents wearing their uniforms.

The defence ministry earlier announced the death of a British soldier Friday in a roadside bombing in southern Afghanistan.

The two latest deaths brings the number of British personnel to die in Afghanistan since 2001 to 430.