Afghan marksman shoots cans off soldier's shoulders

An Afghan special forces soldier has put his life in the hands of one of his brothers in arms by standing perfectly still as a sniper shot cans off his shoulders.

The footage which is believed to have been shot at a base in Afghanistan was posted online yesterday, The Washington Post reports.

The video shows a soldier with an American-made M4 Carbine and attached scope lying on the ground and sizing up his targets, which are about 50m away.

The camera then pans to a soldier with two cans on either shoulder.

The soldier with a rifle in hand stands completely still as the marksman explodes one can after another.

But the brave and foolhardy soldier was not the only one risking his life in the stunt. Two other men stand just metres away, one filming his colleague with a mobile phone as the bullets speed by him.

It is unclear if the men could face disciplinary action if identified.