US army general wounded in Afghanistan attack

Published October 22, 2018
US Army Brigadier General Jeffrey Smiley suffers at least one gunshot wound in the Thursday's attack.— Courtesy: Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence
US Army Brigadier General Jeffrey Smiley suffers at least one gunshot wound in the Thursday's attack.— Courtesy: Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence

A US army general was among those injured in a Taliban attack on top US and Afghan security chiefs inside a highly secure compound last week in Kandahar province, a military spokesman confirmed.

US Army Brigadier General Jeffrey Smiley, in charge of NATO's military advisory mission in Afghanistan, suffered at least one gunshot wound in Thursday's attack, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

A gunman wearing an Afghan security forces uniform opened fire on a group including General Scott Miller — the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan — and powerful Afghan police chief General Abdul Raziq as they ended a meeting in the southern city of Kandahar.

Raziq, an anti-Taliban strongman and key US ally who was credited with keeping a lid on the insurgency in the south, was killed along with Kandahar's provincial intelligence chief and an Afghan journalist.

Colonel David Butler, spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan, initially confirmed on Twitter that three unidentified people were injured: one US service member, one US civilian and a coalition contractor.

Later, in tweets discussing US media reports that named Smiley, he confirmed he was wounded.

That the Taliban could mount a deadly insider assault in such a secure location rattled Afghanistan, a country long used to high-profile targeted killings and violence. It was also an unusual incident for the US military, whose generals seldom face attack and are rarely wounded.

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.