Afghanistan: 20-year old Sniper Kills Six Taliban Insurgents with Single Bullet

Afghanistan: 20-year old Sniper Kills Six Taliban Insurgents with Single BulletReuters file photo

A 20-year old British marksman is reported to have killed six Taliban militants using a single bullet during an armed confrontation in Afghanistan.

The sniper hit the trigger switch of a suicide bomber, resulting in an explosion. The sniper was at a distance of about 930 yards (850 metres) from the suicide bomber, the Telegraph reports.

The unnamed sniper, a Lance Corporal in the Coldstream Guards, averted a major attack with his marksmanship, said Lieutenant Colonel Richard Slack, the commanding officer of the 9/12 Royal Lancers.

Although the incident is said to have taken place in December last year in Afghanistan's Kakaran region, officials have only now released the details.

Slack said: "The guy [suicide bomber] was wearing a vest. He was identified by the sniper moving down a tree line and coming up over a ditch. He had a shawl on. It rose up and the sniper saw he had a machine gun.

"They were in contact and he was moving to a firing position. The sniper engaged him and the guy exploded.

"There was a pause on the radio and the sniper said, 'I think I've just shot a suicide bomber.' The rest of them were killed in the blast."

Following the sniper's successful shot, the authorities had also recovered 20kg of explosives stashed in the suicide vest.

The sharpshooter was said to be using an L115A43 to take down the target.