American general suffers gun wound in Afghan attack

AN AMERICAN general has been wounded during an insider attack in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province that killed two senior provincial officials and targeted the head of US forces in the country.

Brig Gen Jeffrey Smiley is recovering after suffering at least one gunshot wound in the attack on Thursday, according to US officers.

“I can confirm that he is recovering from a gunshot wound,” Navy Lt Cmdr Grant Neeley told Task and Purpose, an army news website.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack inside the compound of the Kandahar governor. They said their primary target was Abdul Raziq, the province’s hard-line police chief.

Kandahar was once the seat of the Taliban but has since become known as one of Afghanistan’s more stable provinces but the nature of last week’s assault – targeting such senior Afghan and US figures – is a reminder of the country’s fragile position.

The attack meant Saturday’s parliamentary elections were postponed by a week in Kandahar.