U.S. Soldier Killed, Two Wounded by Afghan Soldier in Jalalabad
JALALABAD, Afghanistan, April 8 (UPI) — A U.S. service member was killed and two others were wounded after an Afghan National Army soldier opened fire following a meeting by U.S. and NATO officials.
The shootout occurred in the city of Jalalabad after officials met with the governor of the Nangarhar Province. One Afghan soldier was killed and another was injured when U.S. troops returned fire, but it is unclear if the Afghan soldier who opened fire was among them.
“We are aware that there was an exchange of gunfire involving Resolute Support service members near the provincial governor’s compound in Jalalabad,” U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Monica Cummings told NBC News. “The incident took place after a senior U.S. official held a meeting with the provincial governor.”
The identity of the senior U.S. official was not disclosed but all diplomatic personnel were accounted for after the incident. Members of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan were also injured in the attack. The nationalities of the Resolute Support troops have not been released.
The Resolute Support mission was designed to train and support Afghan troops.
“After the meeting was concluded, the guests who flew from Kabul on a helicopter flew back,” provincial police chief Gen. Fazel Ahmad Shirzad told NBC News.
“The members of coalition forces from Jalalabad airbase who had attended the meeting, were preparing to convoy back to the base when an Afghan army soldier, who was part of the original convoy escorting coalition forces to the meeting, opened fire.”
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