Mujahedeen Victory Day Ceremony in Afghanistan attacked

[mrbaracuda]

By the Taliban, of course.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mojahed issued a statement, claiming responsibility.

"Six of our Fedayeen martyrs entered to the stadium for the ceremony. They were heavily armed with mortars and machine guns. This was an organized attack. When the national anthem started they started the attack. Three were killed and three have survived," the statement said.

Source.

What I found interesting was what the Jihadwatch article pointed out:

The gunfire broke out as a marching band was playing the national anthem.

Two U.S. soldiers who had been saluting in the bleachers near the president pointed to some nearby houses, from where the gunfire appeared to have come. They still put their hands back up to their caps in salute as the anthem ended. ...

I ran toward a 3-meter- (10-foot-) high wall with several other journalists clutching video cameras and tripods. To our surprise, uniformed soldiers and armed police followed us. Uniformed musicians of the marching band also ran away.

Made me snicker. Source. Got to ask the informed folks here though, like a commentator asked:

About US Soldiers: "They still put their hands back up to their caps in salute as the anthem ended. ..."

Is this correct? Is it a part of US Drill and Ceremonies regulations to salute a foreign flag when the foreign anthem is played?
Posted by: Pelayo

That's nice and all, but do they usually do this?

 

[Dr Adequate]

That seems to be normal, yes. A quick look round the Internet shows that it's part of the regulations in the US Navy, the Indian Army, and the British Royal Air Force, so I'm guessing it's a universal act of military courtesy.