Afghanistan: US service member killed in apparent insider attack in Kabul

A U.S. service member serving in Afghanistan was killed in an apparent insider attack in Kabul on Saturday, November 3,

“Initial reports indicate the attacker was a member of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces,” Resolute Support spokesperson Sergeant First Class Debra Richardson said.

“Initial reports also indicate the attacker was immediately killed by other Afghan Forces.”

A U.S. service member wounded in the attack was evacuated to Bagram Airfield for treatment and is in stable condition, Richardson said.

Update:

The service member was identified as Major Brent Taylor of the Utah National Guard. Taylor, 39, was the mayor of North Ogden, Utah and was on his second deployment to Afghanistan and had served in two tours of Iraq.

“Today we mourn the loss of a remarkable American,” said Maj. Gen. Jefferson S. Burton, the adjutant general of the Utah National Guard. pic.twitter.com/fHrn4lLqAq — Utah National Guard (@UTNationalGuard) November 4, 2018

Taylor was assigned to the Utah Army National Guard Element, Joint Force Headquarters in Draper, Utah. He was serving with Special Operations Joint Task Force in Afghanistan and was due to return home in January.

The attack comes less than two weeks after a Czech service member with the Resolute Support mission was killed in an insider attack in Herat province. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the October 22 incident, saying an “infiltrator” working at the Shindand airbase in the province opened fire on troops.

On October 18, a bodyguard for Kandahar governor Zalmay Wesa opened fire on Afghan and U.S. officials following a high-level security meeting.

Kandahar police chief General Abdul Raziq and National Security Directorate provincial chief Abdulmomin Hassankhail were killed. Wesa and U.S. Army Brigadier General Jeffrey Smiley were injured.

General Scott Miller, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, attended the meeting but was not injured.

NDS chief Masoom Stanekzai said the assailant was hired as a bodyguard about six weeks before the attack with a “private guarantee” and fake name and ID.

This story was updated on November 5 to identify Major Brent Taylor.