What they’re saying: rogue Afghan soldier attack

A rogue Afghan soldier who killed three British soldiers in what appears to have been a premeditated attack has disappeared, prompting a major manhunt in Helmand province. The three dead men were all serving with 1st Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles.

The attack took place on Tuesday in Nahr-e Saraj and the victims have not officially been named, though one of them has been identified locally by MP David Simpson, who said he was Neal Turkington from Portadown, County Armagh.

According to the BBC, one of the three soldiers was shot dead while the other two were killed by a rocket-propelled grenade. The Taliban say the killer was a member of their insurgency.

Nato has said it is using every "asset" it possesses to find the killer and anybody who may be helping him evade justice. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister told the Commons the shooting was an isolated case and would not change British foreign policy.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: David Cameron, Prime Minister: "The insurgents want us to change our approach, they want us to abandon our strategy, they want us to lose faith in the Afghan National Army. The right thing for us to do is to keep with our strategy of working with - and building up - the Afghan national army because in the end it's when the Afghans can take care of their own security, can keep al-Qaeda out of their country, can make sure there's a basic level of security and stability - it's when that happens we will be able to bring our troops home."

John Simpson on BBC News: "Although the Taliban have predictably claimed the rogue soldier as one of their own, these incidents have so far been rare enough not to create an ever-present anxiety for the Western troops working with the Afghans. But the incident is a reminder of the damning report on the army and police that was issued last month by an American government agency [that] revealed widespread absenteeism, corruption and drug abuse among the Afghan forces."

William Hague, foreign secretary: "We must not let this turn us against working with the Afghan national security forces. It is by building up their capabilities that eventually international troops are able to leave Afghanistan."

Tim Marshall, on Sky News: "If the Taliban were proven to have a policy of trying to get as many people inside the Afghan army as possible that would be a serious, serious threat. The Afghan army is better than it was a few years ago and the training is having an effect, but that concept of discipline is not there. There is a flaw in the strategy unless they can get more cohesion within the Afghan army and ensure they all think they are Afghans rather than Pashtus."

Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith, spokesman for Task Force Helmand: "[The attacker’s] whereabouts are currently unknown but we are making strenuous efforts to find him. He should know that his actions will not deter us from our task and we will continue to work closely with our Afghan friends to bring security to Helmand. Three courageous and dedicated soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice. They will be greatly missed and their actions will not be forgotten. We will remember them." ·