US General killed in insider attack in Kabul

US Major General Harold Greene was shot and killed in an insider attack yesterday morning in Kabul. The attack occurred at Marshal Fahim National Defense University, despite earlier reports that the shooting had happened at Camp Qargha. The attack was carried out by a shooter wearing an Afghan military uniform, and the Taliban claimed responsibility immediately following press reports of the shooting. This is the highest ranking death in the Afghan war thus far, and with one other death and 14 injured, represents one of the deadlier insider attacks since the attack at Camp Chapman in Khost where 8 American intelligence officers were killed.

The two star Major General had been deputy commanding general for the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan and was making a routine visit to the training facility. Along with him were injured eight American soldiers, some a part of his security detail, along with a German brigadier general and two Afghan generals.

President Karzai condemned the attack as soon as its knowledge became public, calling it “cowardly,” but otherwise offering condolences to all victims of the shooting before moving on to issues of fraud and vote counting in the ongoing recount of the runoff election.

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