Kabul: The Taliban claimed responsibility on Friday for killing two American service members in southern Uruzgan province, in what may have been the latest insider attack against Western troops.
In an e-mailed statement, Taliban spokesman Jusuf Ahmadi said a member of the Afghan security forces shot the two men yesterday and then escaped to join the insurgents.
A spate of insider attacks has undermined trust between international troops and Afghan Army and police, further weakened public support for the 11-year war in NATO countries and increased calls for earlier withdrawals.
Maj Lori Hodge, a spokeswoman for US forces in Afghanistan, said yesterday that authorities were trying to determine whether the latest attacker was a member of the Afghan security forces or an insurgent who donned a government uniform.
It was the second suspected insider attack in two days. On Wednesday, two British troops and an Afghan policeman were gunned down in Helmand province.
Before yesterday`s assault, 53 foreigners attached to the US-led coalition had been killed in attacks by Afghan soldiers or police this year.
PTI
