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Subscribe to RSSThree Marines were killed instantly, and the fourth was seriously wounded but the gunman escaped. NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports.
Updated at 12:35 p.m. ET: KABUL, Afghanistan -- A man wearing an Afghan army uniform shot and killed three American Marines, the U.S. military command said Friday. Afghan officials said the victims were American special operations forces troops.
Reuters reported that an Afghan police commander opened fire on the service members after inviting them to a meeting to discuss security. A U.S. military official confirmed the three deaths and said another service member had been injured during the incident.
NBC News' Jim Miklaszewski reported that a "lone gunman" remained on the loose and was being hunted. U.S. military officials said all of the American victims were Marines.
Citing Afghan officials, Reuters said the American special operations forces members were killed late Thursday while attending a meeting in the Sarwan Qala area, in what appeared to be a planned attack by rogue Afghan forces.
"The commander was Afghan National Police in charge of local police in Sangin," a senior Afghan official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Sangin is a district of Helmand province.
"It looks like he had drawn up a plan to kill them previously," the official added.
A military official told NBC News' Courtney Kube that it was unclear whether the gunman was a member of the Afghan security forces or whether he was just wearing a uniform.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi told The Associated Press by telephone that the attacker, whom he identified as a member of Helmand police named Asadullah, had been helping U.S. forces train Afghan local police troops. However, the Taliban has made false claims about the details of attacks in the past.
A U.S. military official says three American service members were killed and one was wounded after a gunman opened fire on them. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
The attack is the third killing this week of coalition soldiers by Afghans who are training to take over responsibility for security once most international forces leave in 2014.
So-called "green on blue" shootings, in which Afghan police or soldiers turn their guns on their Western mentors, have seriously eroded trust between the allies.
According to NATO, there have been 24 such attacks on foreign troops since January in which 28 people have been killed. Last year, there were 21 attacks in which 35 people were killed.
Senior Army leader slain
Earlier, the Pentagon confirmed that three U.S. service members -- including a senior Army leader -- and an American aid worker were killed Wednesday by a suicide bomber in Kunar province.
The victims included Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin J. Griffin, the most senior enlisted soldier for the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Griffin, 45, of Riverton, Wyo., was a Bronze Star recipient who first enlisted in the Army in 1988.
Maj. Thomas E. Kennedy, 35, of West Point, N.Y., and Air Force Maj. Walter D. Gray, 38, of Conyers, Ga., were also killed. USAID foreign service officer Ragaei Abdelfattah was identified as the other victim.
On Tuesday, two gunmen wearing Afghan army uniforms killed a U.S. soldier and wounded two others in Paktia province in the east.
And on Thursday, two Afghan soldiers tried to gun down a group of NATO troops outside a military base in eastern Afghanistan. No international forces were killed, but one of the attackers was killed as NATO forces shot back.
NBC News' Courtney Kube, Jim Miklaszewski and Atia Abawi, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Ahmad Jamshid / AP
More than ten years after the beginning of the war, Afghanistan faces external pressure to reform as well as ongoing internal conflicts.
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I lost an old friend, an Air Force fighter pilot, in one of these attacks back in April 2011. It is beyond time for us to leave Afghanistan. When all is said and done there, we will have accomplished absolutely nothing.
Afghanistan has never been civilized. Its remoteness and geography encourages tribalism. Its culture doesn't need literacy since it is based upon rudimentary farming of crops such as opium. There is no concept of cooperation or sharing to the point that Afghan children openly steal from other Afghan children. It is, and always has been, a cultural cesspool because of its remoteness and because of its economy based upon drugs and charging “royalties” for goods going through it from the as part of the “Silk Trail” from China. Its criminal cultural has now made it a major source of heroin, most of which goes to Russia to keep the Russian Mob in power. (Heroin addiction in Russia is not a bigger problem than alcoholism, which has become the payback for Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan.) As such, it not only made an “excellent” breeding ground for Al Qaeda and the Taliban, with globalization it has become, and will be, a cultural cesspool for the rest of the world unless a solution is found to bring Afghan culture into the 21st Century.
Our culture no longer has the resources or “discipline” to do to Afghanistan what we did to "Native Americans" when we “civilized” and took over the North American continent. (The technical description of our “civilization” of Native Americans is called “genocide.”)
However, although Alexander the Great, imperialistic Britain, Communist Russia, and the US military have failed to bring modern civilization to Afghanistan, there is a "solution."
The ONLY country in the world that has the resources, finances, cultural attitude, and technical skills to disarm the Afghan population, secure the borders, destroy the opium/heroin crop, and turn the rare-earth minerals of NE Afghanistan into the economic replacement for the heroin of SE Afghanistan is Afghanistan's next door neighbor China. We need to get our troops out of Afghanistan now and turn the country over to China. We outsource almost everything else to China. It's time that we outsourced this war to them as well.
China won the war in Vietnam. It's time they won a war for us. (Besides, it would also keep China's military so busy that they wouldn't have time or the resources to threaten us.)
This Vet says: Get us the Hell out of that festering sh*thole. Bring our troops home. Bring with them anything that even $1 of taxpayer funds bought or helped to buy. The billions of taxpayer dollar being thrown down the toilet that is that country could be better spent at home.
Give the country to the Taliban or Al-quaida and let the local populace see how they like living under Shariah Law that is strictly enforced. Then if things really get out of hand, we have a healthy inventory of nuclear weapons. Turn the country into the worlds largest parking lot.
Retired:
The sad thing about it is that since the bulk of the incursion hasn't been paid for in $$$, certain taxpayers are being asked to do so now. Ironically, it falls pretty heavily on the servicepeople and their families to be the demographic group that does so. Sad.
Not the grover group by god, but everyone else.
If we're going to clean this mess up and not have any more Revenue which should have been there in the first place, I nominate grover and all of his signators to go over there and perform some public service, "free of charge", while we pull our heroes out.
Other than that suggestion, I completely agree with you.
Totally agree. Too bad so many men and women died for nothing.
The worst part about this whole thing to me is not the dollars it costs but the lives. Our troops desreve better than this. From this point foward I think any polictician that wants to support some kind of military action anywhere in the world should be made to put on a uniform, be issued some TA-50 and a weapon and spend 12 months in a combat tour. Let them see first hand the position they put our troops in on a daily basis.
Retired:
Your suggestion has my vote.
The only trustworthy middle easterner is a dead one.
So.. I guess with that statement your admitting your sharing the same bed as the terrorists... I'snt that how they think about us?
Nope, just that I'd never trust a live one. Call it what you like, but if you don't learn from history you are doomed to repeat it, and there's well over 2000 years of history in that part of the world that screams "Untrustworthy".
I have never been an anti-war person. But I think it is time to bring our men and women home.
Guenevere...Then, you are using your brain...for a change. Congratulations! Anti-war is the correct way.
F**k that sh*t hole. Get our people out now.
dont they get it that killing more people just creates more chaos and havoc. Nothing good comes from this
We have lost this war and this type of incident confirms it. These people hate us because we are brutal occupiers pretending to help them in the form of bs democracy. We have spent trillions rearranging desert sand and in the end HALIBURTUN will be the only one who profited out of death and destruction.. All of this money could have been spent on America and her infrastructure . Obama has failed on his promise to bring our troops back as soon as he was elected, but in the end he prooved he was one of the reptilians himself, loyally carrying their torch toward deth and destruction and global dominance. They have placed our best and the brightest in situations that cannot be won.This high ranking officer was more valuable to us then the entire stinking AFGANISTAN. He basically gave his life for nothing and paved the way for another like him to go down the same road in another remote corner of the world.
Brutal occupiers??? I agree that we DO NOT NEED TO BE THE POLICE FORCE FOR THE WORLD, but I don't think we are brutal occupiers. The Germans in Russia, and vice versa, in WWII were brutal occupiers. The Japanese in China in WWII were brutal occupiers. The Taliban in Afghanistan were, and once again be, a brutal leadership. Not America. I do feel sorry for the population when the Taliban returns to power, they will undoubtly initiate a vicious bloodbath but we got Bin Laden. Get our troops out of there now.
Bring the troops home. We don't want to win. We can't afford the war. It bankrupted the Russians. We don't learn from history. The same military leaders kicked the French out of Vietnam and Indochina in the 50s that kicked us out in the 70s. What positive thing have we accomplished beside delaying the inevitable collapse of the Afghan gov. Are their lives better now? No. The only ones making a killing are the military industrial complex that President Eisenhower warned us about when he left office.
Wade:
The sad thing is it won't end with us getting out of Afganistan.
Listen to the drums of war in the near future. Who is beating them now?, perhaps as a test initially, but beware who we put into power to lead us.
Listen carefully to the message of the "chicken hawks". The folks that see $$$ promuglated by conflict and other peoples lives.
Obama, get your head out of your ass and get these fine young people of ours out of that stinking cesspool of a country. Do not waste another life, or another penny, on this corrupt government, disgusting "police force and army" and get us out starting today. Destroy everthing military that we leave behind including material, bases, roads, and maybe even their army. Arrest Kahlarzi and toss him in jail for stealing from us. Let the Taliban and Al-jerkoffs have that stinkhole and the next time they try something, give them living hell.
Afghanistan has been a disaster for every country that has tried to occupy it- Americans, Russians, and the Brits.
Get out NOW.
Why are we protecting Afgahn scums killing our troops. Total waste being there.
GET OUR MEN AND WOMEN OUT OF THERE!!!!!! This is ridiculous. You can't trust these people; there's no way to tell who's friend or foe. We're a military family, and we have a friend who was just sent there in May, and he works directly with the Afghan people... Honest to God, we pray for him every day because there is a REAL chance he will not come back. I'm just hoping he isn't one of the people they're talking about in this article.
You make the first mistake when you trust the Afghans. Afghanistan, and the whole middle east is a waste of American lives, and taxpayers dollars.
Except for the fine Christians in Jerusalem or elsewhere, the rest of the Middle East are the maggots of the earth, including Mohamed, the great and mighty false prophet.
Shofun357..The Christians are NO different. All religions are nothing but a huge problem that survive by praying on peoples fear while stealing their gold and pointing their finger at another religion. Been that way since recorded all history. Organized religion is as a plague, visited upon the world. If it werent for the Catholics,Jews,Mormons,Hindus etc, we would have a more peaceful world.
You mean Mohamed the child molester? Marrying a 9-year old and consummating their marriage at 9 proves that he was a sick pervert and all Muslims that follow that tradition should be imprisoned for life.
hsart..Don't forget those Catholic Priests and the little boys, not just the Muslims....Now what other exzcuse have you?
Oh I forgot Robert, man created man, Christ and God are just the tooth fairy. So much for your intelligent opinion. I'm not religious, I'm spiritual, a huge difference. Religion divides people, spirituality unites people.
Shogun..If you look again you will see I said"ORGANISED" religion. And I see you do believe in the tooth fairy. Your choice and that's OK with me, you can be as spiritual as you wish.
Yeah... OK... it's time; we're done. time to pack up our tents & go home. Osama bin Laden is dead. Afghan friendlies don't want us there. The hearts & minds of the Afghan people neither need nor want American intervention on their behalf. The United States certainly didn't start this but there seems to be no end game. What is the strategic goal of the US military in Afghanistan? What is it that we are failing to accomplish?
We should just pull out, stand by and watch the country (and others within the region) implode onto itself & then deal with what remains. The American tax payer is spending billions of dollars over there and we're not going to see any of it back. The only ones benefiting from all of this are the war profiteers (Haliburton, Blackwater, etc.). "It doesn't matter who wins; it doesn't matter who fights just as long as they ARE fighting!"
There's something to be said about not being able to explain to my kids about why American soldiers are fighting and dying over there. Ten years ago, it was easy; we were fighting a war against terrorism. It wasn't until our forces got there that we realized that what, for us, is an insanely, barbaric concept, is for them, just a way of doing business. We're NEVER going to reach these people. We're never going to convince them that their politics and manner of expression are wrong. Terrorism is typical everyday life for a Muslim (moderate or otherwise). It is a means to an end. The Christians tried it in The Crusades over 1000 years ago & that didn't work neither.
Same thing in the Vietnam War. ARVN (allies) by day, NVA (enemy) by night. I guess the warmongers never learn, oh...that's right, they never went over there, nor did their families, my bad. It's the same old same old. I guess WWII was the last "real" war we were in, everything else is, and was, a "police action". Funny thing is, did not see any cops (other than MP's) out there doing the "police" thing. Bring out people home and let those folks have their way with one another. Got enough problems right here in the good old US of A.
Tommy:
Correct.
I'd be more than willing to forgive taxes on everyone serving in the military. That would include Corporations, who r people too. Ha! Never, ever going to see that. As long as Corporations are just created on paper as legal entities and never have to give blood or have their blood pressure checked, I guess they are a special type of people.
I've never heard of a corporation ever having to walk point or stand watch. And I've never seen a single one come home in a box. Strange, but powerful people. Let them spend to their hearts desire to make sure they are ensured they don't have to pay anymore for military excursions than they have to. Follow the grover trail. What an American!
I say declare victory and gtfo
Does anybody believe our purpose in staying in Afghanistan is to train their soldiers and security forces? These people grow up with rifles in their hands.
We went into Afghanistan with good cause. George Bush told them we would not leave them high and dry as we had in the past. We have been there this long because Bush took a detour with our resources through Iraq. We are still there because of Bush's promise. We should leave. On the other hand, if we do leave, what will we have done to the women and children?
I too am surprised that the special forces got fooled on this one but it is war and all wars are nasty. I can not even think of the lose these brave soldiers families are going through. This is not the way Obama wants to fight these wars but this is the bag bush left him holding. I am pretty sure as was mentioned before Obama can not wait for 2014. Right now Obama is being ask to get involved in Syria in a big way but I know his success lies in the very capable hands of the special forces and Obama has proven over and over that special opts are where the most success can be achieved.
Burn all the Korans and kill all that move. These useless excuses for life will do anything to prove their allegiance to the Taliban.
It's no wonder since we've announced our departure years in advance and we're now negotiating with the scum of the Earth. Once I.S.A.F. forces leave women and girls will be relegated to the same boot licking they were doing prior to our arrival. Forced to sell their bodies, refused an education and forced to remain in their "homes" these poor women will be no better off than they were before we entered this 2nd century country.
President Obama and the Republicans seem satisfied to abandoned these women to the likes of the Taliban as if to say "F-you hoes!". I think Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton should have to live in Afghanistan after I.S.A.F. forces leave. I believe we'd see a vast improvement in the security of the country prior to our departure.
Hang the traders that murdered our troops. Hang them high above the village square and let them rot until the maggots eat their bodies. See about those 70 virgins with maggots running around their skull.
hsart..Take a break and have another beer.
These articles always initially identify the dead or the money spent as NATO. The next day they change it to specify that the rebuilding money is from USA and/or the troops killed are Americans.
WHy are we, a broke economic has-been, always the one spending the money and sending the troops? Time to bring the troops and money home and tell these ungrateful freeloaders, e.g. Japan, Germany, S Korea, Saudi Arabia, that they can either pay us or start defending themselves with their own money and people.
Did anyone else see this story about a nuclear weapons plant security breach?!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48595418
just pure Evil and u can't change Evil, get our troops out now!!
Finally, someone calls it right.
Pure evil: The United Snakes (US/Israel/NATO) pure MF'n evil!
@ TheAZCowBoy. Judging by your user name it appears you live in the US. If you think the US is so "MF'n evil," why stay? In other words...get the F— — — out and don't let the door hit you in the butt.
Halo jumper:
the tombstone cowboy only knows that city by looking it up in an Atlas.
I have to chuckle at some of foreigners that think they are pulling someone elses wool over our eyes.
They try so hard to understand us, and when they think they've finally got it, they make some simple, prehistoric glitch of a mistake that identifies them immediately.
Ask mr. cowboy which city is 30 kilometers south of him, and where the pilgrims landed when they reached America. Give him/her 2 minutes to google the heck out of things to provide a response, and then go check the facts. HA!