U.S. Service Member Killed, 2 Wounded in ‘Insider Attack’ in Afghanistan

One American service member was killed and two others were wounded after an Afghan soldier turned his weapon against coalition forces on Saturday in what the U.S.-led coalition described as an “apparent insider attack.”

“The wounded service members, who are in stable condition, are currently being treated,” said a statement by the NATO Resolute Support Mission. “The incident is under investigation.”

The Resolute Support confirmed it in a statement, but did not detail the incident, only saying that “in accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy, the name of the service member killed in action is being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification is complete.”

A Taliban spokesman, Qari Yosuf Ahmadi, said in a message to media on Saturday that the shooting was carried out by a member of the Afghan security force who acted alone, but that the group “appreciated” his attack.

A security source on condition of anonymity said the shooting happened at the airport in Tarinkot, the capital of Uruzgan province.

Around 16,000 troops from U.S., NATO and other partner countries are in Afghanistan, training the Afghan forces within the framework of a NATO-led mission.