Inquest to open into troops' deaths

An inquest will take place today into the deaths of three UK troops killed by a rogue Afghan soldier.

Major James Joshua Bowman, Lieutenant Neal Turkington and Corporal Arjun Purja Pun, all of 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, were killed in the attack on a base in Helmand Province on July 12, last year.

After the killings, a man called Talib Hussein contacted the BBC bureau in Kabul to claim responsibility saying he had been angered by British conduct.

However, he insisted he had not spoken to the Taliban before the killings.

Hussein, 23, shot Maj Bowman, 34, from Salisbury, Wiltshire, dead in his sleeping quarters in Patrol Base 3 in Nahr-e Saraj district, near Helmand's capital, Lashkar Gah.

He also fired a rocket-propelled grenade into the base's command centre, killing Lt Turkington, 26, from Craigavon, Northern Ireland, and Corporal Pun, 33, from Nepal and wounding four other UK soldiers.

Hussein was in the army for about eight or nine months, spending most of his time in Helmand, and was thought to have a hashish habit, the Afghan authorities said.

The Ministry of Defence described the incidents as a premeditated attack by a member of the Afghan National Army.

Maj Bowman was the most senior member of British forces to die in Afghanistan since Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, was killed by a roadside bomb.

In a statement his family said: "He was the best possible son and brother who will be sadly missed by his family and many friends.

"He loved the Army and was very proud of the selfless work that he and his Company were doing."

Lt Turkington's family said: "He felt honoured and privileged to serve with such distinguished, courageous and loyal men.

"Neal was jovial, kind, considerate and loyal to his family and friends. Our family were inspired by his presence, and generosity.

"We are all so proud of him - we couldn't have asked for a finer son, brother and friend."

Corporal Pun's wife, Durga, said at the time of his death: "Arjun Puja Pun was a tremendous husband. He was proud to be a soldier and died doing a job he loved.

"We are devastated by the loss of Arjun who was a loving husband and father. We are proud of the fact that Arjun was prepared to do his duty helping the people of Afghanistan."

The inquest will be held at Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner's Court in Trowbridge.