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On October 18, two US citizens were wounded and a local police chief killed when Afghan guards opened fire at Austin S. Miller, the NATO and US forces commander in Afghanistan, in the Afghan city of Kandahar.
The attack took place after Miller’s meeting with Kandahar’s governor Zalmay Wesa and the provincial police chief, General Abdul Raziq. Raziq was killed, while two US citizens and several top Afghan officials, including the governor, were wounded, Pajhwok Afghan News reported.
NATO said that General Miller was safely evacuated from the area after the incident.
“There was a situation at the Kandahar Palace today. Initial reports indicate this was an Afghan-on-Afghan incident. Two Americans were wounded in the cross-fire and they have been medically evacuated,” NATO’s Resolute Support mission said in a statement.
At least one civilian was also killed, according to media reprots.
According to TOLOnews’ sources, the bodyguards of Kandahar Governor were involved in the attack.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Recently, NATO forces and their local allies have faced a series of attacks, when alleged members of pro-government forces appear to be agents of the Taliban. This shows a lack of the security within the shrinking government-held area as well as a high level of influence of the Taliban even within the NATO-backed personnel.