21 June 2017

News Story: US-Afghan Officials Claim Insider Attacks Will Not Damage Ties

Afghan National Army (ANA) Commandos
By Sharif Amiri

General John Nicholson, the commander of U.S and NATO forces in Afghanistan has said that insider attacks against foreign forces will not damage relations between Afghan security forces and foreign troops in the country. 

He said that efforts are ongoing to identify infiltrators within the ranks of the Commandos within the Afghan National Army (ANA). 

“We will not allow the actions of a few confused individuals to break the strong bounds and relationship we have with you,” said Nicholson. 

Meanwhile, general Tariq Shah Bahrami, the acting minister of defense said that recent attacks by two Afghan Commandos against their foreign counterparts in Nangarhar and Balkh provinces had been plotted by some neighboring countries and intelligence services. 

“The attack was plotted by the neighboring countries and the terrorist organizations; they wanted to harm our strategic partnership; but we want to say that this partnership is strong and it will remain sustainable,” added Bahrami.

However, it appears the existence of infiltrators within the ranks of the Afghan Commandos - the most trusted soldiers within the army - has become a major headache for the Afghan government and the foreign forces.

Read the full story at TOLOnews