US, Afghan soldiers killed in shootout in Afghanistan: Report

US and Afghan forces came under direct attack while conducting an operation in Taliban affected area on Saturday afternoon, international press reported the American military command in Afghanistan as saying. According to media reports, the deadly shootout between the American and Afghan forces took place in Nangarhar province and casualties were reported on both sides. American media quoting an Afghan official said that five or six US soldiers and six Afghan soldiers were killed in the shootout. 

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In the past, many insider attacks have taken place in Afghanistan where soldiers of Afghan forces have attacked US troops. However, it is not yet clear whether the recent attack was an insider attack or not as the frequency of such attacks has diminished in recent years. As per media reports, the rogue attacks that had taken place in the past had revealed many reasons, including frustration with the 18-year war in Afghanistan against the Taliban and other terror groups. According to media reports, Sohrab Qaderi, a provincial council member in Nangarhar province said that the shootout between the American and Afghan forces took place in Shirzad during a raid or maybe there was a tactical error.

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The US-Afghanistan conflict 

Currently, there are 14,000 US troops stationed in Afghanistan as part of the US-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise the Afghan forces to defend against attacks by insurgent groups. The United States invaded Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks in late 2001. The coordinated attacks on US soil were carried out by al-Qaeda, an Islamist terrorist group founded in 1988 by Osama bin Laden. The war in Afghanistan led to a massive increase in the insurgency in the country that is continuing to date. The United States is currently looking for a deal with the Taliban to agree on a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces in exchange for security guarantees. 

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