Two Afghan Soldiers Attack US-Led NATO Forces

Two Afghan soldiers attacked US-led NATO forces (Isaf) in western Afghanistan on Saturday, injuring a Spanish soldier, in the latest “insider” attack in the country, officials said according to AFP.

An Isaf spokesman in Kabul said that the attack by two Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers, one of whom was seriously wounded, occurred in Muqur district of Badghis province in the early hours of Saturday.

“Two ANA service members turned their weapons against Isaf forces in Badghis province,” the spokesman said, adding that one Isaf soldier was injured.

Spain’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the Afghan soldiers entered a combat outpost where they “opened fire and threw several grenades”.

“A Spanish instructor lieutenant was slightly wounded in the left arm,” the statement added, saying that an assailant who was earlier reported dead had in fact been seriously injured and captured.

The other assailant was also captured by ANA and a third man was suspected of involvement, the statement added.

 A provincial spokesman confirmed the incident but said that only one attacker, an ANA soldier who “was suffering from mental problems”, was involved.

 “The soldier who opened fire was suffering from mental problems, he was wounded when Isaf forces returned fire and later detained by Afghan and Isaf forces,” provincial governor spokesman Sharafudin Majidi told AFP.

 Muqur, in the western province of Badghis, has recently transferred its security from Spanish troops to Afghan forces.

 The Afghan conflict has seen a surge in insider attacks this year, with more than 50 Isaf troops killed by their colleagues in the Afghan army and police. 

NATO combat forces are scheduled to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.