Elite NZ soldiers in 'botched' Afghan raid - report

An SAS soldier. Photo / Supplied

New Zealand soldiers have been accused of being involved in a botched raid on a factory in Afghanistan which left two workers dead.

The Times of London newspaper reported the elite New Zealand Special Air Service (SAS) led the surprise attack on the factory in capital Kabul when the two Afghan workers were killed and two others left with life-threatening injuries.

It said the raid had angered the Afghan Government because it was carried out without its approval and and two Kiwi soldiers, identified as the unit commander "Sean and his deputy "James", had since apologised to the factory owners.

The SAS in Kabul is attached to the Nato International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) which believed the factory was implicated in a bomb attack on the American Embassy.

ISAF has declined to name the nationalities of the soldiers involved in the raid but said they opened fire in self-defence.

A New Zealand Defence Force spokesman confirmed today there had been activity involving New Zealand troops in Kabul but said the Times reported was "slanted".

He said more details would be released later.

- NZPA