Mattis: Afghans boost troop vetting after insider attacks
WASHINGTON — The Afghan military has increased its vetting of local forces working with American troops as a result of recent insider attacks that killed two U.S. service members, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday.
Mattis was making his first public comments about his meetings in Afghanistan last week when he raised the issue with President Ashraf Ghani.
Mattis said that Afghan leaders increased training for their troops and expanded security checks “to make certain we’re catching people who’ve been radicalized.”
Army Cpl. Joseph Maciel was shot and killed and two others were wounded in July in southern Uruzgan province. And Army Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Bolyard was shot and killed and another service member was wounded last week in eastern Logar province.