ISAF temporarily suspends Afghan military support mission

Major General Harold Greene was killed on Tuesday in an insider attack at Camp Qargha in Kabul. Photo: US Army.

8 August 2014 army-technology.com

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has temporarily suspended the Afghan National Army (ANA) support mission, in the wake of the shooting of a US general on 5 August.

ISAF commander Joseph Dunford suspended operations at various military facilities and ordered all foreign instructors and military consultants to remain in their camps until today, reported RIA Novosti.

US Major General Harold Greene was killed when a man dressed as an Afghan solider opened fire at Camp Qargha in Kabul. He served as the deputy commanding general of the Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan.

Greene, who was involved in the effort to train, advise and assist Afghan forces to support the creation of a capable and enduring force that safeguards civilians against insurgency, is the first general officer killed in foreign hostilities since 1970.

The shooter also injured 15 Nato soldiers, including German brigadier general Michael Bartscher, before being shot dead.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, which is currently being investigated by a joint Nato-Afghan team.

The incident follows a series of 'insider attacks' against Nato forces by either the Afghanistan security forces or insurgents disguised in Afghan uniforms, according to RIA Novosti

ISAF has already introduced tougher security measures against the so called 'green-on-blue attacks', which have claimed the lives of 69 coalition troops since 2012, the Associated Press reported.

Established by the UN Security Council in December 2001, ISAF is a Nato-led mission primarily aimed at training Afghan security forces.