Afghan Security Forces Kill 3 ISAF Troops in South, East

An Afghan soldier killed two British soldiers on a military base in southern Afghanistan today, while a policeman killed an ISAF soldier in the east. The Afghan soldier was killed by ISAF troops, who opened fire on the attacker. Afghan security personnel have now killed 16 ISAF troops this year.

An International Security Assistance Force press release identified the shooter in the south as an “individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform [who] turned his weapon against International Security Assistance Force service members.” The two ISAF soldiers' names and nationalities have not been disclosed, but the British Ministry of Defense later announced the deaths of two British soldiers in Lashkar Gah.

“The two servicemen, one a Royal Marine, and the other a soldier from the Adjutant General's Corps (Staff & Personnel Support), were serving as part of Task Force Helmand when they were shot and killed at the main entrance to Lashkar Gah Main Operating Base in Helmand province by an Afghan National Army soldier,” the British Ministry of Defense said in a statement released on its website.

It is unclear if the Afghan was a disgruntled soldier or a Taliban infiltrator. ISAF said that a “joint Afghan and ISAF team is investigating the incident.”

The attack took place on a military base in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of Helmand. ISAF operates a Provincial Reconstruction Team in the city.

In the second attack, a member of the Afghan Local Police shot and killed an ISAF soldier in eastern Afghanistan.

“According to operational reports, the ISAF service member was shot by an alleged member of the Afghan Local Police as the security force approached an ALP checkpoint,” ISAF stated in a second press release. It is unclear if the policeman has been detained or if he escaped.

ISAF said Coalition and Afghan forces are investigating the shooting. ISAF did not identify the nationality of the soldier who was gunned down by the Afghan policeman.

ISAF: number of attacks on Coalition forces by Afghan personnel is “classified”

Today's “green on blue” attacks, the term used by the US military to describe Afghan attacks on Coalition forces, are the first such attacks to result in the death of ISAF troops since March 1, when an Afghan soldier and a teacher both opened fire on NATO troops in Kandahar province, killing two soldiers before being killed in return fire. That attack culminated a 10-day period in which seven ISAF troops had been killed by Afghan soldiers.

Afghan security personnel are now estimated to have killed 81 ISAF soldiers since May 2007. Sixteen of the ISAF soldiers, or almost 20 percent, were killed this year, according to press releases issued by ISAF [see below].

ISAF has not disclosed the number of incidents in which ISAF soldiers were wounded by ANSF personnel, or the attacks on ISAF personnel that did not result in casualties. ISAF told The Long War Journal that “these statistics … [are ] … classified.”

“[A]ttacks by ANSF on Coalition Forces…either resulting in non-injury, injury or death….these stats as a whole (the total # attacks) are what is classified and not releasable,” Lieutentant Colonel Jimmie Cummings, ISAF's Press Desk Chief, told The Long War Journal. Cummings said that ISAF is “looking to declassify this number.”

Inquiries as to why the overall statistic is classified went unanswered.

The rise in attacks against ISAF troops by Afghan personnel takes place as ISAF is seeking to accelerate the transition of security responsibility to Afghan forces. The plan calls for an increase in the number of ISAF trainers as well as increased partnering of ISAF and Afghan units, and will heighten Coalition troops' exposure to green on blue attacks.

ISAF press releases documenting the murder of ISAF troops by Afghan security personnel in 2012:

March 26, 2012:
An International Security Assistance Force service member died following a shooting incident in eastern Afghanistan today. According to operational reports, the ISAF service member was shot by an alleged member of the Afghan Local Police as the security force approached an ALP checkpoint.

March 26, 2012:
An individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform turned his weapon against International Security Assistance Force service members in southern Afghanistan today, killing two service members. The individual who opened fire was killed when coalition forces returned fire.

March 1, 2012:
Two individuals, one believed to be an Afghan National Army service member and the other in civilian clothing, turned their weapons indiscriminately against International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Security Force service members in southern Afghanistan today, killing two ISAF service members.

Feb. 25, 2012:
Initial reports indicate an individual turned his weapon against International Security Assistance Force service members in Kabul City today, killing two service members.

Feb. 23, 2012:
An individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform turned his weapon against International Security Assistance Force service members in eastern Afghanistan today, killing one service member. [Note this was later revised to two soldiers killed.]

Feb. 20, 2012:
An individual wearing the uniform of the Afghan Uniformed Police turned his weapon against International Security Assistance Force service members in southern Afghanistan today, killing one service member.

Jan. 31, 2012:
An individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform turned his weapon against an International Security Assistance Force service member in southern Afghanistan yesterday, killing one service member.

Jan. 20, 2012:
Four International Security Assistance Force service members were killed today in eastern Afghanistan by a member of the Afghan National Army.

Jan. 8, 2012:
An International Security Assistance Force service member was killed today in southern Afghanistan apparently by a member of the Afghan National Army.