The Taliban has congratulated an alleged Afghan soldier who open fired at a British-led military training camp on Tuesday, shooting and killing at least one high-raking U.S. officer, the Associated Press reported.
Authorities said that a U.S. two-star general was killed when the gunman shot him at close range during the attack at Camp Qargha in the capital Kabul. At least 15 NATO members were wounded, including several Americans, Afghan soldiers and a German brigadier general who is being treated for non-life threatening injuries, officials told the AP.
The attacker, described as a "terrorist in uniform," was shot and killed, General Mohammad Zahir Azimi, spokesman for Afghanistan's Defense Ministry, told the AP.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid sent a statement to journalists praising the "Afghan soldier" responsible for the deadly attack, the AP reported. Mujahid also applauded another security official who open fired on NATO troops in a separate Tuesday attack in Paktia province.
The Taliban did not claim responsibility for either attack, according to the AP.
Though circumstances surrounding the attack are not clear, officials suspect it was most likely another "insider attack," where Afghan security officials launch attacks on coalition troops. Some attacks have been blamed on the Taliban as evidence of infiltration.
But others believe the attacks are carried out by those who are disgruntled over the presence of foreign troops more than a decade after the Taliban's regime was dismantled.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai described the attack was "cowardly."
The attack is "an act by the enemies who don't want to see Afghanistan have strong institutions," he said according to the AP.
NATO did not release any statement expect to say it was aware of the incident and is investigating. The American general was identified but his name has not been released.
