..."An Afghan officer opened fire on foreigners after an argument," Azimi said. "For the past 20 years, he has been a military pilot."Azimi could not give a specific number of deaths and injuries but said the gunman was killed. He did not say whether the foreigner involved in the dispute was a member of NATO coalition forces or whether that person was among the casualties.

The Taliban claimed that it sent the Afghan officer to shoot Afghan and foreign troops at the compound and that he had killed several of both, according to spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid. He did not say how he was informed of the number of casualties.

Maj. Michael Johnson, a spokesman for NATO forces, said they were aware of the shooting but had not yet received details.

Reporters were not allowed into the air force compound, where Afghan troops guarded the doors and no NATO forces were visible. Afghan air force officers declined to comment about the shooting....