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Three Americans Killed In Latest Afghanistan 'Insider Attack'

By Scott Neuman
Published June 8, 2013 at 8:40 AM MDT

In another "insider attack," two U.S. soldiers and an American civilian were killed in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province on Saturday by a man wearing an Afghan army uniform.

"Two U.S. International Security Assistance Force service members and one U.S. civilian were killed today when an individual wearing an ANA uniform turned his weapon against (them)," according to a statement from Afghanistan's NATO-led force.

[ Update at 11:00 a.m. ET: NPR's Graham Smith, reporting from Kandahar province, says there were two gunmen dressed in Afghan army uniforms — one was killed, the other taken into custody.]

Reuters reports:

"The three Americans were shot dead by the man following an argument, the Paktika provincial governor's spokesman Mukhlas Afghan said, adding that three other Americans had been wounded. The attacker was himself shot dead soon after opening fire, the spokesman said."

The Associated Press adds:

"So far this year, there have been five insider attacks on foreign forces, with a total of eight troops and one U.S. contractor killed. However, the number of such attacks has eased after soaring last year — in 2012, there were at least 29 insider attacks, killing 62 international troops."

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NPR News AfghanistanNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)Military
Scott Neuman
Scott Neuman is a reporter and editor, working mainly on breaking news for NPR's digital and radio platforms.
See stories by Scott Neuman
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