An American general was wounded during an insider attack in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province that killed two senior provincial officials and targeted the head of US forces in the country, it emerged on Sunday.

Brig Gen Jeffrey Smiley is recovering after suffering at least one gunshot wound in the attack on Thursday, according to US officers.

“I can confirm that he is recovering from a gunshot wound,” Navy Lt Cmdr Grant Neeley told Task and Purpose.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack inside the compound of the Kandahar governor. They said their primary target was the province’s notoriously hard line police chief, Abdul Raziq.

Kandahar was once the seat of the Taliban but has since become known as one of Afghanistan’s more stable provinces but the nature of last week’s assault – targeting such senior Afghan and US figures – is a reminder of the country’s fragile position.