By 3 News online staff
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has cut short her visit to the Pacific Islands forum after five soldiers were killed in Afghanistan.
Three Australian soldiers died when a local man wearing a soldier’s uniform opened fire on them in Oruzgan province
Two others died when an American Blackhawk helicopter crashed in the southern part of the country. They were both SAS soldiers.
In the last 16 months seven Australian soldiers have been killed in “insider attacks” by suspected Taliban posing as Afghan soldiers, the Daily Telegraph reports.
At a press conference at her hotel in Rarotonga, Ms Gillard said it was "the most awful news" for Australia.
"This is a very big toll ... This is our single worst day in Afghanistan."
The latest deaths bring the total number of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan to 38.
It's the worst combat loss for the country since the Vietnam War.
3 News