// a href = ./ // St Louis News, Weather, Sports, The Big 550 AM, St Louis Traffic, Breaking News in St Louis

A gunman wearing an Afghan police uniform opened fire at a police training facility in eastern Afghanistan today, killing at least two American troops and three Afghans, officials say.

The shooting took place while the troops were visiting the facility to help train the Afghans, a key part of the U.S. handover strategy before combat troops leave in 2014. According to coalition officials, the shooting also left several wounded.

A joint U.S.-Afghan team is investigating the shooting.

This latest insider attack in Wardak, a restive province in the country's east, comes one day after a deadline set by Afghan President Hamid Karzai for all U.S. Special Forces to leave the province. Karzai set the deadline two weeks ago, after accusing Afghans who work for U.S. Special Forces of harassing, torturing and murdering innocent civilians.

The attack also comes just a day after new U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel's trip to Afghanistan, one marred by controversy.

Osama bin Laden's Son-in-Law Pleads Not Guilty in NYC Court Watch Video On Saturday, a suicide bomber on a bicycle struck just outside the Afghan Ministry of Defense, one of the most heavily fortified buildings in the country. At least nine Afghan civilians were killed. Though Hagel was in a meeting at a coalition military base at the time and never in any danger, nearby bases were put into lockdown, and reporters travelling with Hagel's press pool were ushered into a safe room in the basement of the base they were on.

Then on Sunday, Karzai implied the Taliban were serving U.S. interests by creating instability in Afghanistan. The inflammatory comments were made during a nationally televised speech.

Referring to recent insurgent attacks, including the one outside the Ministry of Defense, Karzai said the attacks were "not aimed at showing their strength to the USA, but to serve the USA.

"In fact, yesterday's bombings in the name of the Taliban were aimed at serving the foreigners and supporting the presence of the foreigners in Afghanistan and keeping them in Afghanistan, by intimidating us," Karzai said.

The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Joseph Dunford, quickly rejected the comments, calling them "categorically false."

"We have fought too hard over the past 12 years, we have shed too much blood over the last 12 years, to ever think that violence or instability would be to our advantage," Dunford said.

Later that evening, Hagel cancelled a scheduled joint press conference with Karzai. A spokesperson cited security concerns, though a Karzai spokesperson said it was due to "scheduling pressures." The two still held a private dinner meeting with Dunford in attendance, but the cancellation of the joint press conference was widely seen as a snub to Karzai in response to his inflammatory remarks.
Published in National News

Latest News

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
Prev Next
Ill. General Assembly overrides `Smart Grid' veto

Ill. General Assembly overrides `Smart Grid' veto

   SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois lawmakers have overridden Gov. Pat Quinn's veto of legislation that addresses so-called Smart Grid technology.    The Illinois House voted Wed...

3rd grader who loved to sing among tornado victims

3rd grader who loved to sing among tornado victims

   MOORE, Okla. (AP) — Nicknamed "The Wall," 8-year-old Kyle Davis loved soccer and going to Monster Truck exhibitions at the fairgrounds with his grandfather. JaNae Hornsby, 9, lo...

Hillary Clinton accepts humanitarian award in NYC

Hillary Clinton accepts humanitarian award in NYC

   NEW YORK (AP) — Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton touted the efforts of a group combatting malnutrition and blindness during an awards speech in New York City.  ...

Mayor Slay calls for donations to Moore, Oklahoma

Mayor Slay calls for donations to Moore, Oklahoma

  City leaders were together to announce the start of a drive to collect donations headed to Moore, Oklahoma.  The campaign started out on Twitter with the hashtag #STL4OKC. The ...

Friends and family of victim call for investigation int…

Dozens of protesters demonstrated outside St. Louis city police headquarters Wednesday, determined to continue pressuring for an investigation into the shooting death of a St. Loui...

Larry Conners no longer with KMOV

Larry Conners no longer with KMOV

Long-time KMOV reporter and anchor Larry Conners is no longer with the station.  KMOV President Mark Pimentel issued the following statement: "We regret to announce that Larry Co...

Roads closed in advance of Senior PGA Championship

Roads closed in advance of Senior PGA Championship

Some roads are already closed in Town & Country as Bellerieve Country Club as preparations continue for the Senior PGA Championship. From 6AM until 8PM through Sunday, Ladue R...

Man runs from traffic stop, into police headquarters

Man runs from traffic stop, into police headquarters

A St. Louis man redefined the phrase, out of the frying pan and into the fire. Clayton police were conducting a traffic stop when the suspect jumped out of his car and started run...

© 2013 KTRS All Rights Reserved

St Louis Web Design