Taliban claims it launched apparent insider attack
Former Taliban fighters walk with their weapons after they joined Afghan government forces during a ceremony in Herat, Afghanistan, Oct. 22, 2012. / AFP/Getty Images
KABUL, Afghanistan The Taliban claimed responsibility Friday for killing two American service members in southern Uruzgan province, in what may have been the latest insider attack against Western troops.
In an emailed statement, Taliban spokesman Jusuf Ahmadi said a member of the Afghan security forces shot the two men the day before and then escaped to join the insurgents.
Transition in Afghanistan hitting road blocks
The so-called insider attacks have stretched to the breaking point a partnership that U.S. and NATO officials consider a key part their exit plan — preparing the Afghans to take over responsibility for their country's security in just over two years' time. They have also cast major doubts over the program, where Afghans and international troops are supposed to work "shoulder to shoulder."
In Thursday's shooting, authorities had yet to determine if the attacker was an Afghan police officer or an insurgent who had donned a uniform to get close to the Americans, said Maj. Lori Hodge, a spokeswoman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan. The assailant escaped after killing the service members while they were out on a late morning patrol, she added.
A NATO spokesperson told CBS News Thursday the attacker was still at large. The official would not comment on the specifics of current joint force operations in the area where the attack occurred, but said they had "by and large returned
to our normal tempo" across the country after temporary restrictions were lifted last month.
- 2 U.S. troops die in apparent insider attack
- Taliban leader says insider attacks will increase
- 6 Afghan police killed in insider attack
"Insider attacks" kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan
At least 53 foreign troops have been killed by Afghan forces already this year - 33 of them Americans. Thursday's was the first such attack on NATO forces since September and since the Afghan government launched a large-scale push to re-screen thousands of security forces, trying to identify infiltrators or those who might not be considered secure.
On Wednesday, two British service members and an Afghan police officer were killed in an "exchange of gunfire" in Helmand province, the British Ministry of Defense said in a statement. The Afghan officer was not wearing his uniform and the statement said it was not clear who started shooting first.
Provincial government spokesman Abdullah Himmat said the assault happened near an Afghan police compound in Khas Uruzgan district.
Crisis of trust among U.S. and Afghan soldiers grows
The Taliban have said they are using the attacks as a specific strategy to drive a wedge between the international coalition and the Afghans. On Wednesday, ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday, they called for a boosting of such assaults.
"Increase your efforts to expand the area of infiltration in the ranks of the enemy," Mullah Mohammad Omar urged in a statement. "Jihadist activities inside the circle of the state militias are the most effective stratagem."
The majority of international combat troops are scheduled to leave Afghanistan by end-2014, with trainers and advisers expected to remain longer. But the spate of insider attacks has further undermined public support for the 11-year war in NATO countries and increased calls for earlier withdrawals.
The attacks have not been limited to members of the NATO-led international coalition. More than 50 Afghan members of the government's security forces also have died this in attacks by their own colleagues.
Also Thursday, an Italian soldier was killed in a firefight in Farah province in the west of the country, the Italian military said in a statement. Three other soldiers were wounded.
Popular on CBSNews.com
-
One year after Afghan massacre, villagers work with U.S. troops One year after U.S. Staff Sgt. Robert Bales was accused of slaughtering 16 Afghan civilians, the villagers in the town where the atrocity took place have joined the U.S. special forces stationed there to assist in the fight against the Taliban.
- Basement living in China 6 Photos
- 50th Paris Air Show 13 Photos
- Italy top court cites "erotic game" hypothesis in Knox case
- Widespread protests in Brazil 22 Photos
- Torrential rain devastates Northern India 15 Photos
- 100,000 line streets of Brazil to protest corruption
- Hungary indicts 98-year-old for Nazi war crimes
- Karzai says Afghan forces have taken the lead
The Germans defeated the Roman Army once.
Rome sent a new army and did "Scorched earth" so bad that they were discovering tribal soldiers` bodies for years after on the forest battleground.
Is THAT why we didn`t "fully win"?
Just cos the NUT CASES are ignorant of modern standards (see womens treatment and shooting kids cos they dare to disagree),doesn`t mean that USA should reduce its democratic freedoms.
Nato was engaging barbarian remnants (Tribal is a remnant of the centuries before civilization arrived), Pity it hasn`t arrived yet in Afghanistan.
They wanna live in the 12th Century....let `em!
They are not worth ONE soldiers life!!Bring US Troops HOME!!
Shiaism
hindu Mithra ism, savior ism invented little over 100 years after Sydana Mohammad pbh by tribes of Kujar of north Africa and imposition as Fatmid Khalaphit by force by denial of Hidth and Quran, justified by hindu Judaism, pagan secularism to impose hinduism, racism by hindu, fabricated relationship with Family of Syadana Mohammad pbh to justify existence of hindu criminal Kings, a violation of fundamental commandment, human equality under the LA. truth absolute Allah. Cause of conflict among Muslim's and cause of down fall of Muslim's and Islam in Spain.
Sunisim, invented by Turk's by corruption of Quran and hidth to justify existence of hindu King's as Khalipha, after death of Ruler Mohammad, but later renamed, Mehmmat, wisdom of spirit of truth by siblings from his Armenian wife, follower of hindu pagan Mithra ism, savior ism in 13th century.
Christianity, invented by hinduism,. corruption of truth absolute by hindu Pharisees, pagan self centered, follower of hindu filthy pig ism by corrupted Torah, known as Greek Torah, translated and commented by Ben Asheer in 250 AD in Yiddish, secularist, self centered language, also known as Old Testament, part of book of Mithra ism labeled as Bible. A way to justify hindu criminal Kings and self proclaimed Prophets, fortune tellers as god's to rule over humanity.
JUDAISM, Self center ism, pig ism, or Atheism, invented by hindu's pagan's of Egypt by corruption of truth absolute in Torah to Justify hindu pagan Pharaoh's and their hindu pagan Santans, goons as god's to rule over humanity with impunity.
HAVE hINDUISM, CORRUPTION OF TRUTH ABSOLUTE, RELIGIONS AND LIVE WITH MAYHEM, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE FROM hIND, DARK AGES TILL TODAY. FOLLOW THEEN aLLAH, CONSTI TUTION OF TRUTH ABSOLUTE, ALLAH , GOD AND THE LORD, FOUNDATION OF CONSTI TUTION OF AMERICA TO HAVE PEACE AMONG HUMANITY. To learn more please visit truthisthelimit.com
Rather than a website named truthisthe limit, how about from religious zealots "Truth would be a Change"?? (Add dot com if you wish).
I really worry for the USA when I see such incoherant ramblings replace coherant discussion!
Factually, the early peoples made up gods to explain the seasons as they were Illiterate!
Seems we may be returning to that state CBS!