2 US troops injured in second “insider attack”

KABUL): A man in Afghan military uniform shot injured two US soldiers, the second such incident in a single day, in southern Kandahar province on Friday, officials said.

The latest attack took place in the Zheri district on Friday, provincial governor’s spokesman Javed Faisal told Pajhwok Afghan News. The assailant was killed in retaliatory fire, he said.

Earlier in the day, a local policeman killed two American service members in western Farah province, the alliance said on Friday.

Afghan allies have attacked the US NATO forces training them eight times over the past two weeks.

The attacker in Farah was also killed. Over the past one week, six American soldiers have been killed in southern Helmand province alone, with foreign troops coming under similar attacks in eastern Nangarhar and Laghman provinces.

The latest green-on-blue attacks came a day after seven American soldiers were killed in a NATO helicopter crash in Kandahar.

The Taliban Mohammad Omar in his message on the eve of Eidul Fitr has claimed the Taliban had infiltrated the ranks of Afghan security forces.

US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said Tuesday he was “very concerned” about the rise in “insider attacks” and the impact they are having on cooperation with Afghan allies.
He said the Taliban were trying to wreak havoc by increasing attacks and the US and Afghan forces were taking a series of measures including increased counter-intelligence and a tougher vetting process to counter the attacks..

Panetta, who was briefed by ISAF Commander Gen John Allen on the current situation in the country, told media Afghan forces had significantly enhanced their capabilities to meet any challenge from the Taliban.

ma

Visits: 0