Report says multiple U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan firefight

[enhanced_deficit]

Multiple sources tell us it is as many as five or six US fatalities. One official says 6 on Afghan side too.

US military is confirming an incident — “a combined US & Afghan force conducting an operation in Nangarhar was engaged by direct fire” — but not providing any details.
— Mujib Mashal (@MujMash) February 8, 2020




Shootout Between U.S. and Afghans Kills Soldiers on Both Sides

Details of the firefight in eastern Afghanistan were scarce, and American officials did not confirm the number of deaths.

The shootout occurred in Sherzad district, where American Special Forces were helping the Afghan military clear an area threatened by the Taliban.

By Mujib Mashal
Feb. 8, 2020
KABUL, Afghanistan — A shootout between Afghan and American soldiers during joint operations in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday resulted in fatalities on both sides, Afghan and American officials said.


nytimes.com/2020/02/08/world/asia/afghan-us-soldiers-shooting-deaths.html

[Warlord]

Sources on twitter say it was an insider attack so maybe quite a few troops killed before they took him out (sneak attack).

Please wait for more info to come out. The fog of war etc.

[Warlord]

1226264080861802498

That's going to fall on deaf ears...

[Warlord]

The Taliban has claimed that five or six US soldiers have been killed after exchanging fire in Afghanistan.

US and Afghan troops were fired on while conducting an operation in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province, the US military today confirmed.

US military spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said there were multiple casualties, but could not confirm numbers.

The Taliban's claims have not yet been verified.

Insider attacks, often known as “green-on-blue” attacks, have been a regular feature of the conflict in Afghanistan, although their frequency has diminished in recent years.

A senior Afghan defence official said it was not clear whether the incident was a result of clashes between Afghan and foreign forces or whether hardline Islamist militants were responsible.

“We are not ruling any possibility out but we are not calling it an insider attack, Taliban attack, or ‘green-on-blue’ at this stage,” the anonymous official told Reuters.

Local residents reported military helicopters flying over the area.

In Sherzad district, where the shootout took place, the joint operation had pushed the Taliban from around the main highway and was continuing to clear villages.

U.S. diplomats have been in talks with the Taliban for months to agree a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces in exchange for security guarantees.

American special forces soldiers are in Nangarhar to help the Afghan government clear the area of insurgent forces.

In his State of the Union Address on Tuesday, President Donald Trump referenced the peace talks, saying US soldiers were not meant to serve as “law enforcement agencies” for other nations.

“In Afghanistan, the determination and valor of our war fighters has allowed us to make tremendous progress, and peace talks are now under way”, he added.

However, violence in the country has not diminished.

On December, 23 Afghan soldiers were killed when a Taliban infiltrator opened fire on his colleagues at a base in Ghazni Province in eastern Afghanistan.

Last month, a US military jet crashed in eastern Afghanistan over Taliban territory – with the terrorists again claiming responsibility.


https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/breaking-taliban-claims-multiple-soldiers-21459283

[sparebulb]

Well that tears it.

We can't pull out now.

[Anti Globalist]

This whole scenario wouldn't have happened if we just left the region. But we gotta keep protecting poppy plants since Afghanistan has the perfect weather conditions to grow them.

[Warlord]

Where is the DoD or Trump? I bet they bury the bad news next week when NH primary is the focus.....

[Warlord]

Trump is bragging about the economy on twitter while troops lay dead.

Shameful.

[Warlord]

Anonymous official claims 5 or 6 Americans dead and 5 or 6 Afghani's dead.

The media won't cover this and Trump wont say a word.

[sparebulb]

Anonymous official claims 5 or 6 Americans dead and 5 or 6 Afghani's dead.

The media won't cover this and Trump wont say a word.

Youtube, or it didn't happen.

I guess it didn't happen.

[shakey1]

Typical.

[Warlord]

1226366759806078976

[vita3]

Sad news. Follow through President Trump & bring them home.

[RonZeplin]

You can't see the dead and maimed from Javanka's house, the stock market us up & the kickbacks from the MIC keep rolling in, so all is well with Donnell and his D&R party mobsters.

Nothing to see here, move along.

[Warlord]

Update: 2 dead, 6 injured



Two U.S. service members were killed on Saturday when someone wearing an Afghan army uniform opened fire on them with a machine gun, according to multiple reports.

Six other U.S. service members were injured in the insider attack in Nangahar province, officials said.

“Current reports indicate an individual in an Afghan uniform opened fire on the combined U.S. and Afghan force with a machine gun,” Colonel Sonny Leggett, a spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said a statement, according to Reuters.

“We are still collecting information," he said, adding that the motive behind the attack is unknown.

Officials also said that U.S. and Afghan military personnel were targeted while conducting an operation, The Associated Press noted.

The gunman was killed, a member of Nangarhar’s provincial council told the AP.

An unidentified Afghan defense ministry official also said the shooter was an Afghan soldier who had earlier argued with the U.S. forces, the news service reported, adding that the official said the gunman was not a Taliban infiltrator.

Officials said Afghan troops were also killed in the incident, but details on those casualties were not released.

During a surprise Thanksgiving visit to U.S. forces in Afghanistan, President Trump announced the resumption of peace talks with the Taliban after negotiations broke down earlier last year.


https://thehill.com/policy/defense/482204-two-us-service-members-killed-in-insider-attack-in-afghanistan (https://thehill.com/policy/defense/482204-two-us-service-members-killed-in-insider-attack-in-afghanistan?__twitter_impression=true)

[enhanced_deficit]

..

We can't pull out now.

Iran is surrounded by keeping troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, withdrawing troops from those two countries as long as threats exist for our closest ally in mideast would be 'immoral (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?542840-Afghan-War-60-civilians-killed-wounded-in-US-drone-strike-2-US-troops-killed-by-IED&p=6909123&viewfull=1#post6909123)'.