Download

The Taliban vowed revenge on Monday after at least one United States soldier shot to death16 civilians in southern Afghanistan and burned their bodies, fueling anger over the US military's presence in the country after a decade-long war.

The Taliban said in a statement on their website that "sick-minded American savages" committed the "blood-soaked and inhumane crime", and promised the victims' families that it would take revenge "for every single martyr with the help of Allah", the Associated Press reported.

At 3 am on Sunday, a US staff sergeant allegedly wandered 450 meters from his base in thesouthern Kandahar province, killed 16 Afghans including nine children, before returning to base and turning himself in, the AP said.

Afghanistan's parliament said in a statement on Monday “that once again Afghans have run out of patience with the arbitrary actions of foreign forces", according to Reuters.

Afghans expressed doubt on Monday that a single US Army soldier could have shot and killed 16 civilians in houses over 2 kilometers apart and burned the bodies afterward, the AP said.

The soldier blamed for the shootings is in custody, but villagers told Afghan officials they heard shots being fired from several directions, said the AP.

The Afghan Defense Ministry said its initial reports indicate one soldier carried out the attacks, but they left open the possibility there could have been more, said the AP.

The killings have reignited fury at the US' presence in Afghanistan following a wave of deadlyprotests over US citizens burning Qurans last month.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for several attacks that the group said were retaliation forQuran burnings. Afghan forces also killed six US troops as violent protests wracked the country.

The attack raises questions again over why US troops are still fighting in Afghanistan after 10years of conflict and the killing of Osama bin Laden.

US President Barack Obama and top US officials quickly condemned the attack and offered their condolences to families of the victims.

US-led forces in Afghanistan have stepped up security, and the US embassy has also warned US citizens in Afghanistan about the possibility of reprisals, said the AP.

According to the AP, in results from a Washington Post-ABC News poll released on Sunday, 55 percent of respondents said they think most Afghans oppose what the US is trying to do there. And 60 percent said the war in Afghanistan has been "not worth fighting".

Questions:

1. What time did the attack by the US staff sergeant occur?

2. How many soldiers are in custody?

3. What do 60 percent of respondents of the Washington Post-ABC News poll say?

Answers:

1. 3am Sunday.

2. One.

3. That the war in Afghanistan has been “not worth fighting”.

（中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑）

About the broadcaster:

Emily Cheng is an editor at China Daily. She was born in Sydney, Australia and graduated from the University of Sydney with a degree in Media, English Literature and Politics. She has worked in the media industry since starting university and this is the third time she has settled abroad - she interned with a magazine in Hong Kong 2007 and studied at the University of Leeds in 2009.