NATO Staff Evacuated After Two Americans Assassinated in Kabul

AP
Seth Abramovitch 1,398 Views Feb 25, 2012

Violence and rioting in response to reports that NATO forces had confiscated and burned prisoners' Korans continues for a fifth straight day in Kabul: Today, two American advisers, a colonel and a major, were killed by a single gunman who had penetrated a high-security government compound. The officers were "found dead in their office from gunshot wounds to the head," CNN reports. The shooter, who according to a NATO spokesman was "not Western," is still at large.

The Taliban again claimed responsibility for the attack:

"The attacker is still alive and resisting and a second Mujahid managed to escape the ministry," [Taliban spokesman] Zabiullah Mujahid said in an email. "This comes amid our call to all Afghan security forces to turn their guns towards the invading forces who are the real enemies of our country and religion and kill them so they leave our country."

The killings, which come despite Barack Obama's criticized apology to Hamid Karzai, brings the death toll to 15. General John Allen, commander of NATO and U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, has announced that all NATO personnel are being recalled from Afghan ministries, for "obvious force protection reasons." 

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.

Topics: , ,
Related Articles   More by Seth Abramovitch

Did Foreign Training Help the Taliban Take Down a NATO Helicopter?

Koran-Burning Protests in Afghanistan Turn Deadly

NATO and Afghan Troops Can't Stand Each Other

 

Obama on Secret Service Scandal: 'If Confirmed, I'll Be Angry'

What Happens in Colombia ... Is Pretty Embarrassing for the Secret Service

Elsewhere on the Web

User Comments

Please type your comment and click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be prompted to log in or register

  • The Atlantic Wire on Twitter
  • The Atlantic Wire RSS Feed
  • The Atlantic Wire iPhone App