Two Americans wounded in attack targeting top US commander in Afghanistan
Two Americans were wounded Thursday in an attack targeting the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan that left two Afghan officials dead.
A U.S. service member and a civilian were among the wounded. A coalition contractor, who is not American, was also injured. All three were medically evacuated and are in stable condition, U.S. Forces Afghanistan said in a statement.
{mosads}The three were injured when a gunman wearing an Afghan army uniform opened fire on participants meeting with U.S. Gen. Austin “Scott” Miller at Kandahar palace, killing two top southern provincial officials, according to reports.
Miller, the target of the attack claimed by the Taliban, was not injured.
U.S. Forces Afghanistan called the attack “an Afghan-on-Afghan incident” and said the gunman is dead.
“General Miller is uninjured. We are being told the area is secure,” according to the statement.
The attack killed Gen. Abdul Raziq, the region’s police chief, and intelligence chief Gen. Abdul Momin, The New York Times reported. Provincial governor Zalmai Wesa was wounded in the shooting.
The Taliban said the attack was directed at Raziq and Miller.
Miller took over last month as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, replacing Gen. John Nicholson.
Raziq was a lieutenant general in the Afghan National Police and a controversial official. He had been accused of torturing detainees but also was revered for his opposition to the Taliban.
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