Attack comes shortly after US airstrike killed two Afghan border police, according to Helmand governor, as Trump considers sending more troops

An Afghan soldier has killed three Americans in an apparent insider attack in the highly contested Nangarhar province, according to officials.



The attack happened less than a day after a US airstrike in Helmand killed at least two members of the Afghan border police in a joint US-Afghan operation, according to the Helmand governor.

The incidents occurred at a time of intensified violence in Afghanistan, and when the Trump administration is considering sending more US troops to Afghanistan.

In Nangarhar, the governor’s spokesman, Attahullah Khogyani, told the Associated Press that two US soldiers had been killed and two others wounded in the attack. He said the attacker was killed.



Later, Reuters reported that three American soldiers had been killed and one wounded, citing three US officials speaking anonymously. The Pentagon subsequently confirmed the three US deaths and said the incident was under investigation; it said one US soldier had been evacuated for medical attention.

The attack took place in Achin, a district partly controlled by militants loyal to Islamic State. This is where, in April, the US army dropped its largest conventional weapon ever used on a complex of cave used by Isis fighters. Since the Moab strike, US and Afghan forces have been engaged in ground fighting, assisted by regular airstrikes, to clear the area.

The attack brings the total number of coalition troops killed in Afghanistan this year to six, all of them Americans. With the exception of one, all were killed in Nangarhar.

Insider attacks represent the gravest danger to foreign troops in Afghanistan outside of direct combat. Since 2007, more than 150 coalition forces have been killed by Afghans they were in the country to train and advise.

In March, in the latest so-called green-on-blue incident, an Afghan soldier shot and injured three Americans inside a base in Helmand.

The Afghan soldier was a member of the country’s special forces, and had gotten into a heated argument with his American mentors before shooting four of them, according to another senior Nangarhar official, not authorised to speak to the press.

The Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, it said the Afghan soldier was one of several Taliban infiltrators in the Afghan armed forces, and that the attack was part of the group’s annual spring offensive.

“American invaders have embedded with their hirelings in most parts of the country, for which the Mujahideen have launched counter measures as many infiltrators are awaiting their chance to carry out such an attack behind enemy lines,” a Taliban statement said, according to the Site intelligence group.

In the US, the Trump administration is mulling a decision to send more soldiers to Afghanistan to shore up the 8,400 US troops already there.

American officials have reached out to Nato allies for troop contributions. There are currently about 5,000 Nato soldiers in Afghanistan. Last month, Australia committed to sending an additional 30 soldiers.

On Friday, US and Afghan forces conducted an operation in Nad Ali, an embattled district bordering the provincial capital of Helmand, in which at least two Afghan policemen were killed. “Last night around 10pm, [the US] carried out an airstrike on the district centre of Nad Ali, targeting an Afghan border police checkpoint. Two were killed, and three others wounded,” said Omar Zawak, the Helmand governor’s spokesman.

In a statement, the US military said: “During an ANDSF [Afghan government forces] and US partnered operation, fires resulted in the deaths and injuries to members of the Afghan Border Police. An investigation is being conducted at this time to determine the specific circumstances that led to this incident.”

The US has dramatically expanded its use of airstrikes in recent months. This year, the US has conducted 1,245 airstrikes in Afghanistan, nearly the same number as the entirety of 2016.

US troops in Afghanistan are primarily “training, advising and assisting” Afghan forces, but a sizeable contingent is also engaged in a counter-terrorism mission, which includes deploying airstrikes.

According to its security agreement with the Afghan government, the US is also allowed to conduct airstrikes in defence of its own troops on the ground.







</s>KABUL — Three U.S. soldiers were killed and another was wounded Saturday in eastern Afghanistan, the Pentagon said.

An Afghan official said the deaths and injury stem from an attack by an Afghan soldier, who also died.

In a statement from Washington, the Pentagon didn’t provide details about what led to the deaths of the U.S. soldiers. It said the incident was under investigation.

A spokesman for the provincial governor in Nangarhar province, Attahullah Khogyani, said in a statement that the attack took place in the Achin district.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says in a statement that a Taliban loyalist had infiltrated the Afghan army “just to attack foreign forces.”

In March, an Afghan soldier was killed after he opened fire on foreign forces at a base in Helmand province, wounding three U.S. soldiers.

White House spokesman Raj Shah told reporters travelling with the President Donald Trump in New Jersey that Trump was “following the emerging situation in Afghanistan.”</s>Three U.S. soldiers were killed Saturday when an Afghan army soldier opened fire on them in eastern Afghanistan, an Afghan official said.Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor in Nangarhar province, said that two other U.S. soldiers are wounded in the attack, which took place in the Achin district. He said the Afghan soldier was killed after the attack.The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement that a Taliban loyalist had infiltrated the Afghan army "just to attack foreign forces."A statement from the U.S. military said merely that the military was "aware of an incident in eastern Afghanistan."White House spokesman Raj Shah told reporters traveling with the President Donald Trump in New Jersey that Trump was "following the emerging situation in Afghanistan."Such insider attacks have happened before in Afghanistan. In March, another Afghan soldier was killed after he opened fire on foreign forces at a base in Helmand province, wounding three U.S. soldiers.</s>Three US soldiers were killed and another wounded during a joint US-Afghan military operation in Nangarhar Province on Saturday, US officials told CNN.

One American official said the soldiers were shot in an apparent insider attack, also known as a “green-on-blue” because of the color-coding system used by NATO. During such assaults, members of the Afghan security forces are known to target US and other NATO soldiers.

The shooter in Saturday’s incident was believed to be a member of the Afghan military, the US official said.

The shootings occurred in the Achin District, where US and Afghan troops have been carrying out a monthslong offensive against a local affiliate of ISIS, officials said.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the militants claimed responsibility for the attack.

“A Mujahid (freedom fighter) infiltrator of the Islamic Emirate who had enrolled himself in the Kabul government’s army attacked American soldiers in Lata Band area of Achin district in Nangarhar province today in the afternoon,” said a written statement in Pashto obtained by CNN. “The American invaders were there to support their Afghan slaves.”

The statement claimed the infiltrator managed to kill four US troops before he was killed by Afghan soldiers.

President Donald Trump was briefed on the shootings, a White House spokesman said, but as of Saturday evening there had been no comment from the President.

While in Milwaukee, Vice President Mike Pence said: “On my way here, I was informed that US service members were killed and wounded in an attack in Afghanistan. The President and I have been briefed. Details of this attack will be forthcoming. When heroes fall, Americans grieve. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of American heroes.”

A US military spokesman in Afghanistan said: “We are aware of an incident in Eastern Afghanistan. We will release more information when appropriate.”

In Kabul, meanwhile, the US military command said an unspecified number of Afghan police were killed and wounded in a “friendly fire” incident during a joint Afghan-US operation overnight Saturday.

In a statement, US Forces Afghanistan said members of the Afghan Border Police in Helmand Province were killed and wounded during an operation involving US and Afghan defense and security forces.

Omar Zawak, spokesman for the governor of Helmand, said the deaths occurred when a US aircraft fired on Afghan police, the statement said.

US Forces Afghanistan is investigating the incident.

Two US service member killed in April

US and coalition casualties in Afghanistan have become rarer, falling dramatically since the Afghan government assumed responsibility for combat operations in 2014.

In late April, however, two US service members were killed and another wounded while conducting a joint raid in the Achin District, according to a Pentagon spokesman. The operation was targeting ISIS-K, the terror group’s Afghanistan affiliate.

Achin District is the primary base of operations for ISIS in Afghanistan and has been the site of multiple joint US-Afghan counterterrorism missions. A US Army Special Forces soldier was killed fighting the terror group there in early April.

The district is also where the US dropped one of its most powerful bombs earlier this month, killing close to 100 ISIS fighters, according to Afghan officials.

Beginning in 2016, Afghan security forces backed by US military advisers launched a major offensive against ISIS. Gen. John W. Nicholson, commander of US Forces Afghanistan, has said the terror group has lost about half of its fighters and been ejected from two-thirds of its territory.

The latest counter-ISIS push began in March of this year.

US officials estimate that ISIS has 600 to 800 fighters in the country, mostly former members of other regional terror groups, including the Pakistani Taliban and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. ISIS is believed to be behind a series of terror attacks, including the recent deadly attack on a hospital in Kabul.

There are about 8,400 US troops in Afghanistan. The US counterterrorism mission is separate from the NATO-led effort to train, advise and assist the Afghan army and police force in its fight against the Taliban.</s>KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – An Afghan official says that two U.S. soldiers have been killed after an Afghan army soldier opened fire on them in eastern Afghanistan.

Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor in Nangarhar province, said Saturday that two other U.S. soldiers are wounded in the attack, which took place in the Achin district. He said the Afghan soldier was killed after the attack.

Such insider attacks have happened before in Afghanistan. In March, another Afghan soldier was killed after he opened fire on foreign forces at a base in Helmand province, wounding three U.S. soldiers.</s>At least two US soldiers were shot dead by a soldier of the Afghan National Army (ANA) commandos forces in eastern Nangarhar province.

The provincial governor’s spokesman Ataullah Khogyani confirmed the incident and said the two US soldiers were killed in an insider attack involving an Afghan Special Operation Forces soldier in the restive Achin district.

Khogyani further added that the incident took place this evening after the Afghan soldier opened fire on his US comrades, leaving two dead and two others wounded.

He said the Afghan soldier was also killed in the shootout with the US forces.

Nangarhar is among the relatively calm provinces in eastern Afghanistan but the anti-government armed militant groups have recently increased their insurgency activities in some parts of the province during the recent years.

The Afghan forces are busy conducting counter-terrorism operations to eliminate the militants affiliated with the ISIS terrorist group in Nangarhar province.

The operations are being conducted in coordination with the US forces based in Afghanistan who are mainly carrying out airstrikes as part of a broader role granted to them by the Obama administration last year.

Follow Khaama Press (KP) | Afghan News Agency on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook. Stay updated via RSS</s>Three US service members were killed and another wounded during a joint US-Afghan military operation in Nangarhar Province on Saturday, US officials told CNN.

One American official said the service members were shot in an apparent insider attack, also known as a “green-on-blue” because of the color-coding system used by NATO. During such assaults, members of the Afghan security forces are known to target US and other NATO soldiers.

The shooter in Saturday’s incident was believed to be a member of the Afghan military, the US official said.

The shootings occurred in the Achin District, where US and Afghan troops have been carrying out a monthslong offensive against a local affiliate of ISIS, officials said.

President Donald Trump was briefed on the shootings, a White House spokesman said.

A US military spokesman in Afghanistan said: “We are aware of an incident in Eastern Afghanistan. We will release more information when appropriate.”

In Kabul, meanwhile, the US military command said an unspecified number of Afghan police were killed and wounded in a “friendly fire” incident during a joint Afghan-US operation overnight Saturday.

In a statement, US Forces Afghanistan said members of the Afghan Border Police in Helmand Province were killed and wounded during an operation involving US and Afghan defense and security forces.

Omar Zawak, spokesman for the governor of Helmand, said the deaths occurred when a US aircraft fired on Afghan police, the statement said.

US Forces Afghanistan is investigating the incident.

Two US service member killed in April

US and coalition casualties in Afghanistan have become rarer, falling dramatically since the Afghan government assumed responsibility for combat operations in 2014.

In late April,however, two US service members were killed and another wounded while conducting a joint raid in the Achin District, according to a Pentagon spokesman. The operation was targeting ISIS-K, the terror group’s Afghanistan affiliate.

Achin District is the primary base of operations for ISIS in Afghanistan and has been the site of multiple joint US-Afghan counterterrorism missions. A US Army Special Forces soldier was killed fighting the terror group there in early April.

The district is also where the US dropped one of its most powerful bombs earlier this month, killing close to 100 ISIS fighters, according to Afghan officials.

Beginning in 2016, Afghan security forces backed by US military advisers launched a major offensive against ISIS. Gen. John W. Nicholson, commander of US Forces Afghanistan, has said the terror group has lost about half of its fighters and been ejected from two-thirds of its territory.

The latest counter-ISIS push began in March of this year.

US officials estimate that ISIS has 600 to 800 fighters in the country, mostly former members of other regional terror groups, including the Pakistani Taliban and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. ISIS is believed to be behind a series of terror attacks, including the recent deadly attack on a hospital in Kabul.

There are about 8,400 US troops in Afghanistan. The US counterterrorism mission is separate from the NATO-led effort to train, advise and assist the Afghan army and police force in its fight against the Taliban.</s>A member of the Afghan Army’s Commando Forces has attacked and killed three US Army Rangers in the Nangarhar Province, wounding a fourth American soldier. The gunmen was killed in return fire by US forces.

The attack came during a joint operation in the Achin District, which is one of the main bases of operations for Afghanistan’s ISIS affiliate. The Taliban issued a statement following the attack claiming that the gunman, who has not been identified, was an infiltrator from their forces.

This is the deadliest such “green-on-blue” attack since a similar incident in March which also killed three US soldiers. Such incidents used to be much more common, but in recent years US and NATO forces have greatly limited their amount of direct contact with the Afghan military.

As the US looks to escalate its involvement in Afghanistan again, both trying to fight the growing ISIS affiliate and trying to keep Afghanistan from suffering an outright defeat to the Taliban, they are putting troops increasingly back into these “joint” operations, leaving them exposed to shootings, whether by Taliban infiltrators or just malcontent Afghan soldiers, who have grown weary of 16 years of US-led military occupation.
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• US Forces Using White Phosphorus in Populated Areas of Iraq and Syria - June 9th, 2017</s>Two U.S. soldiers were killed Saturday when an Afghan army solider opened fire on them in eastern Afghanistan, an Afghan official said.

Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor in Nangarhar province, said that two other U.S. soldiers are wounded in the attack, which took place in the Achin district.

He said the Afghan soldier was killed after the attack.

The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Such insider attacks have happened before in Afghanistan.

In March, another Afghan soldier was killed after he opened fire on foreign forces at a base in Helmand province, wounding three U.S. soldiers.</s>Jalalabad (Afghanistan): Three US troops were killed and another wounded during a joint operation in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province, the Pentagon said, in the latest so-called insider attack on international forces.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the deaths in the volatile district of Achin, which is also contested by Islamic State jihadists, saying it was carried out by an infiltrator.

The Pentagon said in a statement on Saturday that the wounded soldier had been evacuated for medical treatment. "This incident is under investigation," the statement added.

Earlier, provincial spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told AFP that an Afghan commando had opened fire on US troops and was killed in return fire. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed on Twitter that four US soldiers were killed in the attack.

The insurgents are known to exaggerate battlefield claims. In April, the US military dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb ever used in combat on a complex of caves in Achin used by IS fighters.

The deployment of the so-called Mother Of All Bombs killed dozens of jihadists, but fighting in the area has continued.

American troops have partnered with Afghan soldiers in raids against IS Khorasan, claiming the local offshoot of the jihadist group based in Iraq and Syria is steadily losing ground in Afghanistan.

So-called "green-on-blue" attacks — when Afghan soldiers or police turn their guns on international troops — have been a major problem during NATO's long years fighting alongside Afghan forces.

Western officials say most insider attacks stem from personal grudges and cultural misunderstandings rather than insurgent plots. Saturday's attack came just hours after an errant US air strike killed and wounded at least six Afghan policemen in southern Helmand province, in the latest "friendly fire" incident.

Such strikes have bred deep mistrust between local and foreign forces.

Three American troops were wounded in March when an Afghan soldier opened fire in southern Helmand province, in the first known insider attack on international forces this year.

Similar incidents have also plagued Afghan troops, depleting morale and causing mistrust within security ranks. The latest killings come at a time of intensified violence and when the United States is considering sending more troops to Afghanistan.

The Afghan conflict is the longest in American history, with US-led NATO troops at war there since 2001, after the ousting of the Taliban regime.

US troops in Afghanistan number about 8,400 presently, and there are another 5,000 from NATO allies, who mainly serve in a training and advisory capacity.
An Afghan soldier kills 3 U.S. troops and injures 1 other in Achin, Nangarhar Province. The Taliban claims responsibility, saying the Afghan soldier was one of several Taliban infiltrators in the Afghan Armed Forces.