This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/world/asia/afghan-police-officer-kills-american-in-kabul-shooting.html

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
U.S. Civilian Is Killed at Police Post in Kabul U.S. Civilian Is Killed at Police Post in Kabul
(about 1 hour later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — A woman identified as a police officer shot and killed an American civilian adviser at police headquarters in Kabul on Monday, Afghan police officials said, breaking a relative lull in the so-called insider killings that have strained the relationship between Americans and Afghans here.KABUL, Afghanistan — A woman identified as a police officer shot and killed an American civilian adviser at police headquarters in Kabul on Monday, Afghan police officials said, breaking a relative lull in the so-called insider killings that have strained the relationship between Americans and Afghans here.
A spokesman for the American-led NATO force in Afghanistan, Col. Thomas W. Collins, confirmed that the attack had taken place but said that the victim’s name was being withheld according to military policy. He described the attacker as “a suspected member of the Afghan uniformed police” and said the suspect was in Afghan custody.A spokesman for the American-led NATO force in Afghanistan, Col. Thomas W. Collins, confirmed that the attack had taken place but said that the victim’s name was being withheld according to military policy. He described the attacker as “a suspected member of the Afghan uniformed police” and said the suspect was in Afghan custody.
The victim was identified by an Afghan official as an American employee of DynCorp, the largest American civilian contracting firm in Afghanistan.
A person at Kabul police headquarters, where the shooting occurred at about 10 a.m., said the suspect, a woman named Nargis, was a uniformed police officer working in the Interior Ministry’s legal and gender equality department. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information, said the attacker had shot the American adviser in the head at close range with a pistol and then was immediately arrested by other Afghan police officers. The person added that the police did not believe the attack was related to terrorism and that the suspect had no known connections with insurgents.
The Afghan news station TOLO cited Afghan officials as saying that the woman, who had crossed multiple police checkpoints with a gun hidden in her sock, had graduated from the national police academy in 2008, in one of its first female classes.
The effort to recruit and train female police officers has been fraught with difficulty.   EUPOL, the European Police organization active here in police training, says there are only 380 female police officers in Kabul, and even fewer out in the provinces, despite a goal by the Ministry of Interior of recruiting 5,000 by the end of 2014.
Insider attacks, in which members of the Afghan security services have turned against their foreign allies, have greatly increased in the past year, with 61 American and other coalition members killed, not including the episode on Monday, compared with 35 deaths the previous year, according to NATO figures.Insider attacks, in which members of the Afghan security services have turned against their foreign allies, have greatly increased in the past year, with 61 American and other coalition members killed, not including the episode on Monday, compared with 35 deaths the previous year, according to NATO figures.
Monday’s attack — the first insider attack known to be committed by a woman — came after a lull in insider shootings after the military instituted a series of precautions meant to reduce them. The most recent episode was on Nov. 11, when a British soldier was killed in Helmand Province.Monday’s attack — the first insider attack known to be committed by a woman — came after a lull in insider shootings after the military instituted a series of precautions meant to reduce them. The most recent episode was on Nov. 11, when a British soldier was killed in Helmand Province.
A person at Kabul police headquarters, where the shooting occurred at about 10 a.m., said the suspect, a woman named Nargis, was a uniformed police officer who was working in the Interior Ministry’s legal and gender equality department. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information, said the attacker had used a pistol and had shot the adviser in the head at close range. The victim was identified only as an American employee of DynCorp, the largest American civilian contracting firm in Afghanistan. American and Afghan officials have been struggling to figure out how large a factor Taliban infiltration or coercion has been in such attacks. Although insurgent contact has been clear in some cases, many of the attacks have seemed to come out of personal animosity or outrage, attributed to culture clash or growing Afghan anger at what they see as an unwelcome occupation by the United States and its allies.
He said the suspect had been arrested at the scene by Afghan police officers. Although the person did not specify a motive, he said that it was not related to terrorism and that the suspect had no known connections with insurgents.
American and Afghan officials have been struggling to figure out how large a factor Taliban infiltration or coercion has been in the increase in insider killings this year. Although insurgent contact has been clear in some cases, many of the attacks have seemed to come out of personal animosity or outrage, attributed to culture clash or growing Afghan anger at what they see as an unwelcome occupation by the United States and its allies.
In other violence on Monday, a coalition member was killed in an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan, and an Afghan Local Police commander killed five fellow officers at a checkpoint in Jowzjan Province in the north. Dur Mohammad, the commander at the checkpoint, shot and killed five officers under his command, according to Gen. Abdul Aziz Ghairat, the provincial police chief. He said the commander fled after the shooting. General Ghairat did not offer a motive but said that Mr. Mohammad had connections with the Taliban in the area.In other violence on Monday, a coalition member was killed in an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan, and an Afghan Local Police commander killed five fellow officers at a checkpoint in Jowzjan Province in the north. Dur Mohammad, the commander at the checkpoint, shot and killed five officers under his command, according to Gen. Abdul Aziz Ghairat, the provincial police chief. He said the commander fled after the shooting. General Ghairat did not offer a motive but said that Mr. Mohammad had connections with the Taliban in the area.
The Afghan Local Police program, which seeks to bring armed elements — including some former insurgents — into government service, has drawn criticism because of a series of episodes in which the armed elements have switched allegiances, sometimes repeatedly.The Afghan Local Police program, which seeks to bring armed elements — including some former insurgents — into government service, has drawn criticism because of a series of episodes in which the armed elements have switched allegiances, sometimes repeatedly.