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Two New Zealand soldiers have been hurt after a weapon was accidentally discharged in Afghanistan.
One of the soldiers received minor injuries to his leg but the other received moderate injuries, said Major Zac Prendergast.
Both soldiers had spoken to their families in New Zealand.
They were taken to the Bagram air force base for treatment.
The two soldiers were in a Humvee vehicle, returning from Kabul to their base in Bamyan when a Steyr rifle accidentally discharged.
It is not known how many rounds were fired inside the armoured vehicle but it was believed one round did the damage to both soldiers.
The Steyr rifle is standard issue to the New Zealand military and fires a 5.56mm, high velocity round.
"We are unsure of the exact circumstances but essentially a weapon has gone off within the vehicle," said Major Prendergast.
"It was a Steyr (rifle). We are not sure how many shots. We don't have any reports on how many rounds but obviously the investigation has got under way and we hope to find the answer."
He said the Humvee vehicle was fitted with armour plating and the New Zealand soldiers were trained in its use.
"We don't know how many occupants were in the Humvee at the time, but we do know just two have been injured."
In 2005, an army major was tried by court martial for the unauthorised discharge of a weapon in Afghanistan in September, 2005.
- NZPA
