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| US general's plane hit by rocket fire in Afghanistan | US general's plane hit by rocket fire in Afghanistan |
| (30 days later) | |
| A rocket attack damaged the plane of a top US general while he was visiting Afghanistan to discuss the war, at a time of heavy violence and a crisis over insider attacks on foreign forces. | A rocket attack damaged the plane of a top US general while he was visiting Afghanistan to discuss the war, at a time of heavy violence and a crisis over insider attacks on foreign forces. |
| General Martin Dempsey, chair of the US joint chiefs of staff, was not in the aircraft when it was hit by one of two rockets fired onto Bagram airbase, north-east of the Afghan capital, Kabul. But two people were lightly injured by the attack, which also damaged a helicopter, and Dempsey had to fly back in a different plane because of "exterior damage". | General Martin Dempsey, chair of the US joint chiefs of staff, was not in the aircraft when it was hit by one of two rockets fired onto Bagram airbase, north-east of the Afghan capital, Kabul. But two people were lightly injured by the attack, which also damaged a helicopter, and Dempsey had to fly back in a different plane because of "exterior damage". |
| The Taliban claimed the attack as a targeted hit on Dempsey's plane, but the Nato-led coalition said it was almost certainly a chance hit on an aircraft that looked no different from many others next to the runway of the base. | The Taliban claimed the attack as a targeted hit on Dempsey's plane, but the Nato-led coalition said it was almost certainly a chance hit on an aircraft that looked no different from many others next to the runway of the base. |
| "Indirect fire rocket or mortar attacks at Bagram airport are not unusual and there is no indication that this was a targeted attack," said a military spokesman, Martin Crighton. "More likely is that … one of the rounds just happened to land in the vicinity of General Dempsey's plane. | "Indirect fire rocket or mortar attacks at Bagram airport are not unusual and there is no indication that this was a targeted attack," said a military spokesman, Martin Crighton. "More likely is that … one of the rounds just happened to land in the vicinity of General Dempsey's plane. |
| "This was a standard US military aircraft, there were no unique markings on the aircraft." | "This was a standard US military aircraft, there were no unique markings on the aircraft." |
| He added the two members of the US maintenance crew sustained minor wounds that "didn't even warrant classification", and that they were back on duty later in the day. | He added the two members of the US maintenance crew sustained minor wounds that "didn't even warrant classification", and that they were back on duty later in the day. |
| Dempsey was in Afghanistan on a brief visit to meet top Afghan and coalition officials, who are grappling with how to stem a growing number of deadly attacks by Afghan army and police on their foreign mentors and comrades-in-arms. | Dempsey was in Afghanistan on a brief visit to meet top Afghan and coalition officials, who are grappling with how to stem a growing number of deadly attacks by Afghan army and police on their foreign mentors and comrades-in-arms. |
| Barack Obama on Tuesday promised to do more to protect US soldiers from such incidents. Over 10% of foreign combat deaths this year have been at the hands of those who are meant to be allies; there have been more than 30 attacks since January, compared with 21 during the whole of 2011. | Barack Obama on Tuesday promised to do more to protect US soldiers from such incidents. Over 10% of foreign combat deaths this year have been at the hands of those who are meant to be allies; there have been more than 30 attacks since January, compared with 21 during the whole of 2011. |
| "We have got to make sure we are on top of this," Obama told a news conference, adding that vetting for Afghan troops needed improving. | "We have got to make sure we are on top of this," Obama told a news conference, adding that vetting for Afghan troops needed improving. |
| He has discussed the matter with top US generals and also plans to speak to his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai, the Associated Press reported. | He has discussed the matter with top US generals and also plans to speak to his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai, the Associated Press reported. |
| With the US and European economies struggling, and the end of the mission looking likelier than a downturn in violence, there are other signs of fatigue in the Nato mission. | With the US and European economies struggling, and the end of the mission looking likelier than a downturn in violence, there are other signs of fatigue in the Nato mission. |
| New Zealand said this week that it would be bringing its troops home early, the day after three of its soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in a province once seen as an island of peace. | New Zealand said this week that it would be bringing its troops home early, the day after three of its soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in a province once seen as an island of peace. |
| The deaths came just a few weeks after two other New Zealand soldiers were killed in a firefight in the same area; together the five victims account for more than half of the country's combat losses in a decade-long deployment. | The deaths came just a few weeks after two other New Zealand soldiers were killed in a firefight in the same area; together the five victims account for more than half of the country's combat losses in a decade-long deployment. |
| • Mokhtar Amiri contributed reporting | • Mokhtar Amiri contributed reporting |
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