A militiaman of the notorious Afghan Local Police has killed nine of his colleagues in Paktia on Friday. Provincial Police Chief Dawlat Zadran said the attacker mixed drug with food of his colleagues and when they fell asleep, he killed all nine of them at midnight, and escaped the check post in Yahyakhel district with all the weapons and a Toyota. Two of his brothers and the person who recommended him for ALP have been arrested.

Taliban have claimed responsibility. Insurgents' spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said the attacker was an infiltrator in the Local Police. But other reports identify the assailant as Asadullah son of Mullah Ihsanullah, who was killed by the Taliban some years ago accused of supporting the Government.

Among those policemen killed, four belong to one family. Local officials doubt Asadullah might have been threatened by Taliban forcing him to shoot his colleagues.

In a previous attack this week on Monday, a militiaman of ALP had killed a US soldier. Establishment of the ALP has been a risky adventure in the rush of withdrawal strategy. There is not a proper process of screening. Many of the militiamen recruited are with criminal backgrounds and Taliban affiliation.

Repeated incidents have proved there is an urgent need of a quick review and reform in the training of the Afghan Local Police before its expansion plans are started. The criminal elements who have joined the ranks of ALP have been involved in looting and murders scoring their local rivalry. There have been incidents of Taliban infiltration too. Last month, a policeman of the ALP had allowed a Taliban fighter to enter the security check post and killed nine in Uruzgan.

Recently in a report, the Human Rights Watch called President Obama to order his military officials to drop the plans of expanding the ALP until reforms are made in training, supervision and accountability. Currently about 10,000, the US military plans to expand Afghan Local Police to 30,000.

The HRW report largely documented abuses by ALP in several provinces, including looting, illegal detention, beatings, killings, sexual assault and extortion.

The US military conducted an investigation about the accusations of ALP involved in criminal activities and its lack of accountability. The report confirmed some of the findings in the HRW report. Though Afghan Local Police has contributed in improving security and fighting insurgents in many areas and it has proved effective, but there have been too many incidents of Taliban infiltration and criminal elements joining the local force.

It's time the US military order a thorough review of the recruitment and training process.