A member of the NATO Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan has been killed in an insider attack.
The attack took place in the western Herat Province and was carried out by an Afghan security forces member, resulting in one death and two injuries of Resolute Support members, according to the NATO press release on Monday.
A Resolute Support service member was killed in Herat province today. https://t.co/yF4s4tlnLH
— Resolute Support (@ResoluteSupport) October 22, 2018
It’s not yet clear whether the Resolute Support victims are American, as details of the members’ nationalities were not released.
“Further details will be shared after the appropriate national authorities have followed their processes for releasing information,” the statement said.
“Taliban insurgents claimed responsibility for the attack, a Taliban spokesman said in an emailed statement,” Reuters reported.
Afghanistan has been rocked with violence recently ahead of the now-delayed national elections, which are the first to be held since 2010.
The Taliban carried out nearly 200 attacks recently, after vowing to attack during Afghanistan elections. The attacks have killed 36 people on the first day of voting, Afghanistan Deputy Interior Minister Akhtar Mohammed Ibrahimi confirmed.
At least 31 militants were also killed by Afghan security forces.
At least 28 people have been killed in violent incidents across Afghanistan as people voted Saturday in long-awaited legislative elections, officials said https://t.co/6TNaagJdwb pic.twitter.com/GQE53pApAE
— CNN (@CNN) October 20, 2018
The Taliban has warned Afghan citizens not to vote in the elections due to corruption in the Afghan government.
On Thursday, an insider attack at the Kandahar governor’s compound resulted in the deaths of three Afghan officials, and injured two Americans.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, and admitted their target was Gen. Scott Miller, head of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan. Miller escaped without injury, but Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Smiley was reportedly wounded in the attack along with a U.S. civilian who was serving as a contractor with the coalition.
The last U.S. service member to be killed while serving the NATO Resolute Support mission was on Oct. 4, marking the sixth U.S. service member to be killed in Afghanistan this year.
In spite of the violence, the Resolute Missions says it will persist in supporting Afghanistan “to let freedom prevail.”
Turning the coin: Last weekend in review. #NATO #AFGHANISTAN #41UNITED pic.twitter.com/ZQldiKKnzd
— Resolute Support (@ResoluteSupport) October 22, 2018
