Earlier today, uniformed Afghan security forces attacked a US military base in eastern Kapisa province, killing a civilian contractor. Three Afghan troops are also said to have been killed in the incident.
A statement issued by ISAF today said: “Individuals wearing Afghan National Army uniforms turned their weapons against International Security Assistance Force members in eastern Afghanistan today, killing one ISAF-contracted civilian.”
According to Khaama Press, “several” armed men, said to be Afghan National Army soldiers and Afghan police officers, attacked the base in Kapisa City “while Afghan soldiers were leaving the military base and a verbal conflict started between US and Afghan soldiers.”
The attackers were equipped with “equipped with Humvee armoured vehicles and modern military equipment,” Khaama Press reported.
The Khaama report stated that one US soldier and one Afghan soldier were killed in the attack, and that no one was injured. According to ISAF, however, it was a civilian US employee, not a US soldier, who died in the incident.
In response to an inquiry by The Long War Journal as to details of the attack, ISAF stated:
We can confirm that one ISAF-contracted civilian died when three individuals wearing Afghan National Security Forces uniforms and driving an ANSF vehicle forced their way on base and turned their weapons against International Security Assistance Force service members and civilians today in eastern Afghanistan. All three individuals were killed during the engagement and the area has been secured by ISAF and ANSF. Afghan and coalition officials are looking into the circumstances of this incident.
Today’s attack is the second green-on-blue, or insider, attack on Coalition forces in Afghanistan this year. The previous attack took place on Jan. 6 in Wardak province. Last year, green-on-blue attacks accounted for 15% of Coalition deaths. The attacks have tapered off in recent months as partnering of Afghan and Coalition troops has been reduced. [See LWJ special report, Green-on-blue attacks in Afghanistan: the data.]
Update: The Associated Press reports that the attack took place in the Tagab district of Kapisa province, and that three US soldiers were also wounded in the attack. According to AP, the Taliban claimed in a statement that the attackers were from the Afghan army.
18 Comments
most unfortunate however not that big of a deal
I know this is not LWJ’s fault. The mistake was done by Khaama Press.
There is neither Kapisa City nor Kapisa city in contemporary Kapisa province. Mahmud-i-Raqi is the capitol city for Kapisa province. Some disturbed districts in Kapisa province, with strong HIG presence in them, are Nejrba, Tegab, and Alasay.
Pretty big deal for the family of the woman killed and her co-workers and friends she leaves to mourn.
This is also a big deal for Coalition troops entrusted to train and work with Afghan National Army and security forces.
It is more of a “big deal” with the fact of internal increasing breaches.
@BB, Nicola, barry
waa waa waa waa. Sorry ‘boys’ it ain’t that big of a deal. Just part of the ‘Daily Grind’ of the various ‘metrics’ that constitute the AfPak Theater particularly the Afghan side
Would the deceased civilian contractor be an armed security professional or was he there in some other capacity?
” The attacks have tapered off in recent months as partnering of Afghan and Coalition troops has been reduced.” When we are gone there will be zero partnering. Those Afghans who have worked with ISAF may wish they had done a little more to protect ISAF from infiltration and local “head cases” because we could have left Afghanistan in a better condition for the remaining Afghans.
@ Arne
The contractor was most likely a linguist.
I look forward to the when there are no ISAF troops on the ground over there. Targeting will be much less inhibited because there will be no friendlis at risk.
Mike I’m assuming you mean ‘not a big surprise’. It’s always a big deal when it’s a green on blue attack. Everyone from the Military to the families who lost loved ones feel that. I serve and I assure, it’s a big deal but it certainly isn’t a surprise.
It was actually an older african american lady, an un armed civilian linguist. We found her in a pool of piss and blood(not a big deal right?) and they werent people dressed as afghani army, they WERE afghani army. There ya go. The truth. Take it or leave it.
3 fully armed Afghan soldiers force their way onto a base and kill an old lady? That doesn’t sound right.
It most certainly IS a big deal when it is your loved one stationed at Tagab!! And it’s a HUGE deal for all the soldiers involved, considering they are the ones who are supposed to train the very people who turned against them. And that woman who was killed?? It’s a HUGE deal to her family. How dare ANYONE undermine the effect that ANY of these incidents have on our young people over there.
It’s fact whether it sounds right or not, Mr. T. Do you think they care who they kill? Whoever is standing there is the one who gets it, and she happened to be there. Just an innocent civilian trying to make a living and do her part by being a translator.
God bless our troops. We are keeping you in our prayer here at home. Thank you for your service and all you do to keep our great nation safe. We appreciate your sacrifice, your time away from family and are proud to stand behind you as you head out to make our world a safer place. Peace be with you.
@HJM, John, Mr T, army momma
while the killing of any US personnel, be they civilian or military, is most unfortunate in the ‘big picture’ it is not that big of deal. It is a Combat Zone & casualties & deaths are to be expected.
There is no such thing as ‘innocent’ civilian trying to make a living as a translator. Especially in a Combat Zone. Translators/linguist are one of the most effective weapons when fighting in an environment in which language is one of the primary impediments/’tools.’
Audio surveillance is just as critical visual surveillance. A skilled translator/linguist can kill or save more lives than a rifle platoon or a well placed ‘explosion(bomb).
Every life lost IS a big deal. I worked at Ft. Kutschbach for months (until February of this year), and commented numerous times to my collegues security was so poor that getting hit in this manner was not a matter of “if”, but “when”. Many times we had the enemy in our cross-hairs, and the command decision was made to stand down, and do nothing. Access to the post was liberal at best as I could not determine friend or foe of any of the locals I walked by frequently. It is my opinion the Rules of Engagement determined by the President ensures loss of life on the US side is higher than what it should be. At the end of the war in Iraq I noticed the Apache helicopters (AH-64s) were flying without missles or rockets. I found out later the ROE forced them to just be observers and were not allowed to shoot the enemy, but call for Iraqi Army response first. How do I know? I spent 22 years in the US Army, some of that time as an Apache AH-64 pilot/commander, and the last 7 years doing contract work in Iraq and Afghanistan. The rediculous security posture forced by our President on down continues to play a large role in not who, but how many US troops and contractors live at a higher risk than needed. It’s only when you know those lost does it hit home hardest. My grief is for the family left behind by Inez Baker, as I am confident she is with the Lord. It only took a few minutes of speaking with her myself to know God was with her. My God be with the remainder of the contractors, and soldiers in Afghanistan and bring them all home safely. Pray for our leadership in Washington, but make no mistake, they are the problem.