British soldier 'shot colleague, then turned gun on himself'

The family of a British soldier killed on peace-keeping duty in Afghanistan says he was shot by a colleague who then turned the gun on himself after a row at a barbecue.

Sergeant Robert Busuttil, 30, who suffered wounds to the stomach and back, and Corporal John Gregory, also 30, died early on Saturday at a supply base beside Kabul airport. The Ministry of Defence declined to give any details beyond saying the men died in "non-hostile" circumstances that did not involve enemy forces.

But yesterday relatives of Sgt Busuttil, from Swansea, south Wales, said they had been contacted by a British officer serving in Afghanistan who told them the killing was an apparent revenge attack.

In a statement, the Busuttil family said a farewell barbecue had been held at the Camp Souter military base for Cpl Gregory, from North Yorkshire, and another soldier. During the course of the evening, banter between Sgt Busuttil and Cpl Gregory allegedly led to Cpl Gregory swinging a punch at Sgt Busuttil, who retaliated and punched him.

Forty minutes later, the statement continued, Cpl Gregory, who leaves a wife, fired five rounds into Sgt Busuttil's stomach and a further three rounds into his back. The family said: "Cpl Gregory then aimed the gun under his chin and fired the weapon, killing himself.

"We could have eventually accepted, however sad and difficult it would have been, if Bob had died in military action, but to think he was killed by one of his own fellow soldiers is incomprehensible."

The two soldiers, both of the Royal Logistics Corps, were part of a contingent of 400 British Army personnel in the 5,000-strong International Security Assistance Force. The Ministry of Defence declined to comment on the claims.

An inquest will be held.