Today Coalition and Afghan forces captured a Taliban “facilitator” behind an insider, or green-on-blue, attack that killed one US soldier and wounded three more in August. From the ISAF press release:
In Helmand province today, an Afghan and coalition security force arrested the Taliban facilitator responsible for the Aug. 7 insider attack in Paktiya province that killed one U.S. service member and wounded three.
During the operation, Afghan troops also seized what is believed to be the attacker’s ANA identification card.
Another suspected insurgent was also arrested.
The Aug. 7 attack was executed by two Afghan soldiers, who escaped [see Threat Matrix report, Afghan troops kill ISAF soldier in latest green-on-blue attack, for more details on that attack].
Paktia is a traditional stronghold of the Haqqani Network, while the Quetta Shura Taliban are active in Helmand. As noted in September, ISAF has clearly begun stepping up efforts to kill or capture the Taliban network that is conducting many of the green-on blue attacks [see Threat Matrix report, ISAF captures Taliban ‘insider attack planners’ in Logar, for a list of additional raids].
Also, as noted in the Threat Matrix report cited above, the Taliban clearly have a far more significant role in the insider attacks than ISAF has previously wanted to admit.
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