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| Contractor and 2 Afghan Soldiers Are Killed on a U.S. Base | Contractor and 2 Afghan Soldiers Are Killed on a U.S. Base |
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| KABUL, Afghanistan — A civilian contractor and two Afghan soldiers were killed on an American base Friday afternoon when three men wearing Afghan National Army uniforms stormed the gate and began firing, military officials said, in what appeared to be the second insider attack on Western troops this year. | KABUL, Afghanistan — A civilian contractor and two Afghan soldiers were killed on an American base Friday afternoon when three men wearing Afghan National Army uniforms stormed the gate and began firing, military officials said, in what appeared to be the second insider attack on Western troops this year. |
| The attack, at Forward Operating Base Tagab in the northern province of Kapisa, also wounded four coalition troops, two of them seriously, before the attackers were gunned down, officials said. Officials were unsure about whether the attackers were Afghan soldiers or impostors. | |
| A sharp rise last year in insider attacks, in which Afghan security forces turn their guns on their Western allies, greatly strained relations and threatened the military and police training mission at the heart of the coalition’s plans to withdraw in 2014. Extensive new safeguards were put in place, including stricter security guidelines for American troops and tougher vetting of recruits by the Afghan forces. | A sharp rise last year in insider attacks, in which Afghan security forces turn their guns on their Western allies, greatly strained relations and threatened the military and police training mission at the heart of the coalition’s plans to withdraw in 2014. Extensive new safeguards were put in place, including stricter security guidelines for American troops and tougher vetting of recruits by the Afghan forces. |
| The attack on Friday, however, served as a reminder of how difficult such violence is to prevent. The attack began around 1:30 p.m., when the three uniformed men slammed an Afghan Army vehicle into the main gate of the coalition base, officials said. A firefight then broke out, resulting in the deaths of the attackers, two Afghan soldiers and the civilian contractor, whose nationality was not immediately announced. | The attack on Friday, however, served as a reminder of how difficult such violence is to prevent. The attack began around 1:30 p.m., when the three uniformed men slammed an Afghan Army vehicle into the main gate of the coalition base, officials said. A firefight then broke out, resulting in the deaths of the attackers, two Afghan soldiers and the civilian contractor, whose nationality was not immediately announced. |
| The reason for the assault was not clear, and the Taliban did not claim responsibility for it, which they are usually quick to do. | The reason for the assault was not clear, and the Taliban did not claim responsibility for it, which they are usually quick to do. |
| Such attacks are often the product of Taliban infiltrators who have gone through the military recruitment and training process. But cultural clashes, in which Afghan soldiers have responded violently to perceived mistreatment or slights by their American counterparts, have also been a factor. | Such attacks are often the product of Taliban infiltrators who have gone through the military recruitment and training process. But cultural clashes, in which Afghan soldiers have responded violently to perceived mistreatment or slights by their American counterparts, have also been a factor. |
| Kapisa Province has been difficult to secure, and fighting in the Tagab district, where the American outpost is situated, has been especially fierce. The district has also been the scene of past insider attacks. In early 2012, four French soldiers were killed by an Afghan soldier while on patrol there, prompting threats from France to withdraw from Afghanistan sooner than promised. The last French troops left Afghanistan in December. | Kapisa Province has been difficult to secure, and fighting in the Tagab district, where the American outpost is situated, has been especially fierce. The district has also been the scene of past insider attacks. In early 2012, four French soldiers were killed by an Afghan soldier while on patrol there, prompting threats from France to withdraw from Afghanistan sooner than promised. The last French troops left Afghanistan in December. |
| The government also noted on Friday that five Afghan police officers had been killed this week while carrying out a poppy eradication campaign in western Farah Province. | The government also noted on Friday that five Afghan police officers had been killed this week while carrying out a poppy eradication campaign in western Farah Province. |
| Three of the officers died when an improvised explosive device buried in the fields exploded on Tuesday, during the first day of a three-day mission in the Khak-e-Saped district. The other two died on Thursday, after a separate explosive planted by the Taliban detonated. In an ensuing firefight with insurgents, nine officers were wounded, and four Taliban fighters were killed, officials said. | Three of the officers died when an improvised explosive device buried in the fields exploded on Tuesday, during the first day of a three-day mission in the Khak-e-Saped district. The other two died on Thursday, after a separate explosive planted by the Taliban detonated. In an ensuing firefight with insurgents, nine officers were wounded, and four Taliban fighters were killed, officials said. |
| The lure of profit from poppy cultivation has brought insurgents and poppy farmers together in many cases, finding common cause against haphazard government efforts to eradicate crops. Farmers can make far more cash growing poppies than almost any other crop, while insurgents impose lucrative taxes on poppy production, generating an estimated $155 million for the Taliban last year. | The lure of profit from poppy cultivation has brought insurgents and poppy farmers together in many cases, finding common cause against haphazard government efforts to eradicate crops. Farmers can make far more cash growing poppies than almost any other crop, while insurgents impose lucrative taxes on poppy production, generating an estimated $155 million for the Taliban last year. |
| Eradication is controversial among aid groups. Many organizations see the destruction of crops without financial compensation as flawed policy. | Eradication is controversial among aid groups. Many organizations see the destruction of crops without financial compensation as flawed policy. |
| “Opium eradication is never the solution,” said Jean-Luc Lemahieu, the chief of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for Afghanistan. “It’s a blunt instrument, and if it is not connected to altered livelihoods, it proves not sustainable and oftentimes arbitrary.” | “Opium eradication is never the solution,” said Jean-Luc Lemahieu, the chief of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for Afghanistan. “It’s a blunt instrument, and if it is not connected to altered livelihoods, it proves not sustainable and oftentimes arbitrary.” |
Azam | Taimoor Shah contributed reporting from Kandahar, and Alissa J. Rubin from Kabul. |