A U.S. servicemember was killed today in another insider attack in Afghanistan.
The incident took place in Kabul on Saturday when an Afghan soldier opened fire on U.S. forces, killing one and injuring another.
“Initial reports indicate the attacker was a member of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. Initial reports also indicate the attacker was immediately killed by other Afghan Forces,” said the statement from NATO’s Resolute Support.
An apparent insider attack in Afghanistan has left one U.S. service member dead and another wounded. The attacker is believed to be a member of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces and was reportedly killed by Afghan forces immediately. pic.twitter.com/WXGq7DErFH
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 3, 2018
The two wounded personnel were transported to Bagram Aifield. The injured member is receiving medical treatment and is reportedly stable. It’s not clear when the other service member succumbed to their injuries.
An investigation is underway.
One US service member was killed and another wounded in Afghanistan in what the US-backed coalition called an apparent insider attack https://t.co/3QXztIxqAM pic.twitter.com/Q1J0oGK8aY
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) November 3, 2018
The deceased service member’s name will be withheld for 24 hours while next-of-kin notification takes place, per standard policy.
It is the eighth member of U.S. forces killed in Afghanistan this year.
Sad news from #Afghanistan – another apparent insider attack kills 1 American service member & wounds another in Kabul. The incident is under investigation, says @ResoluteSupport pic.twitter.com/O49QVhKfSh
— Carla Babb (@CarlaBabbVOA) November 3, 2018
This attack is the latest amid increasing insider attacks on U.S. forces carried out by Afghan forces.
It’s also less than two weeks after the deadly insider attack that left three top Afghan officials dead and injured U.S. members. NATO commander, Gen. Scott. Miller. escaped the incident without injury, however, Brigadier General Jeffery D. Smiley was shot and later received care at a local hospital.
In September, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said stronger training and vetting efforts of Afghan forces were being carried out, while some training operations were being scaled back in an attempt to reduce insider attacks, Reuters reported at the time.
