PUL-I-ALAM (SW)Day after United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey visited Afghanistan, an aerial raid by the U.S. forces killed eight Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers in the eastern Logar province, officials said on Monday.
The incident reportedly occurred in the restive Baraki Barak district this morning around 8 O’ clock. U.S. Apache helicopters were said to be involved in the attack that saw an ANA check post being completely destroyed.
Mohammad Rahim Amin, district chief told SW eight soldiers lost lives and five more got injured. The area has been known for strong Taliban presence while ANA has been busy fighting them out.
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani condemend the incident and directed investigation into the matter.
“We have initiated an investigation of this incident,” Brig. Gen. Wilson Shoffner, Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications said on behalf of the U.S. troops. “Alongside our Afghan partners, we will complete a joint investigation in a transparent, timely and thorough manner and will release further details regarding this incident as they become available.” he added.
Monday’s incident came day after chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey visited Afghanistan.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, President Ashraf Ghani and Gen. Dempsey discussed the possibility of forming a network to oppose the trans regional threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
Dempsey has said for years the United States should address this trans regional threat with a trans regional strategy. “I think we’re all having an important discussion on how to address the transregional nature of what is clearly a persistent threat that has to be addressed at a sustainable level of effort over a period of time,” Dempsey said to reporters traveling with him.
Dempsey said Ghani told him in their meeting that Afghanistan should be a regional hub in a trans regional network that includes the Levant, Iraq, North Africa and West Africa.
The chairman said Ghani’s idea falls in line with his own thinking, but that he would like a discussion among American leaders on what the objective would be. “Once we have a clear idea of what we would like to accomplish … over a 10 year period,” he said, “then we should discuss what authorities would be needed, … as well as what resources can be applied.”
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