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Two-Star General Killed In Afghanistan

Aaron Bandler Contributor
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A two-star U.S. Army major general was shot and killed at close range by an Afghan soldier on Aug. 5.

The general, who has not been identified, was shot at a military training academy just outside of Kabul, The New York Times reports. Other service members, including an Afghan commander and a German brigadier general, were also shot, but their conditions are currently unknown, according to RT. Fifteen NATO soldiers were also hurt in the shooting.

The details of the shooting aren’t clear. The Afghan Defense ministry described the attacker as having an Afghan National Army uniform, while other officials thought the shooter was an Afghan soldier.

Regardless, it is believed that it was an insider attack. The shooter, described as a “terrorist in an army uniform” by Gen. Mohammmad Zahir Azimi, was killed.

The two-star American general was the highest-ranking officer that has been killed in the Afghanistan war so far.

The motivation behind the attack is unknown. NATO is investigating the attack, and Afghan President Hamid Kharzai condemned the attack, New York Post reports.

Karzai called the attack “an act by the enemies who don’t want to see Afghanistan have strong institutions” and that it was “cowardly.”

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