*KABUL: *US and Afghan troops came under “direct fire” in easternAfghanistan late Saturday, a US military official said, in an incidentlocal media described as an “insider” attack.
“A combined US and Afghan force conducting an operation in NangarharProvince was engaged by direct fire on Feb. 8”, US Forces-Afghanistanspokesman Colonel Sonny Leggett said in a statement.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the apparent“green-on-blue” attack — where Afghan security forces target internationalsoldiers with whom they are working.
An Afghan official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the attackhappened in the Shirzad district military headquarters, and that foreignforces had cordoned off the area.
“Several helicopters landed in and departed from the HQ compound taking outcasualties. We don’t know how many killed or wounded,” the official toldAFP.
The latest incident comes even as the US and Taliban negotiators areseeking to reach a deal that would allow the United States to withdrawthousands of troops from Afghanistan after more than 18 years of war.
Last year was the deadliest for US forces in Afghanistan since combatoperations officially finished at the end of 2014, highlighting thechallenging security situation that persists.
In December, Taliban infiltrators in the Afghan military killed nine Afghansoldiers in central Afghanistan.
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In July, an Afghan soldier killed two US troops as they were visiting anAfghan army base in Kandahar.
US President Donald Trump has long questioned the wisdom of keeping troopsoverseas and has described the war in Afghanistan launched after theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks as a drain on blood and treasure.
But last year he cancelled a previously unannounced summit at the CampDavid presidential retreat with the Taliban because of an attack thatkilled an American.
He later allowed veteran US negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad to resume thetalks, which had taken place for months in Qatar.
As talks have fluctuated, violent attacks in the country have raged, withthe number of clashes jumping to record levels in the last quarter of 2019,according to a recent US government watchdog report. -APP/AFP
