Four US troops killed in shooting incident

Monitoring Desk

JALALBAD: Four coalition troops were killed in a shooting incident and numerous pro-government militiamen were later killed by airstrike in the troubled Achin district of eastern Nangarhar province Thursday (January 11), sources said.

Local militiamen opened fire on US troops from a post in the Mamondara area of Ac-hin district just before noon today, killing four US soldiers, a security official who wished not to be named told Afghan Islamic Press (AIP).

“The post was manning by Haji Abdul Zaher Qadeer’s militia. One of them, believed to Daesh or Taliban infiltrator, opened fire on passing by US troops. As a result, four troops were killed,” the source said.

Qadeer is an influential Afghan warlord and member of parliament from Nangarhar province.

In a retaliatory action, the US aircrafts bomb the post, killing more than 15 pro-government militiamen locally called uprisers, according to source.

The bodies were buried under the debris, the source said, adding accurate count of the dead could only be ascertained when all the bodies are recovered.

Meanwhile, Resolute Support (RS) Mission said that one US soldier was injured on Thursday during a clash with militants in the Achin district of eastern Nangarhar province.

Tom Gresback, Public Affairs Director at RS headquarters confirmed ground engagement in Achin today.

“No coalition service members were killed in the engagement.  One U.S. service member was wounded and is in stable condition at a medical treatment facility.

We are looking into the details of engagement with our Afghan partners and will provide more information when appropriate.”

“We continue to strategically push IS-K back from their fighting positions taking seven kilometers and clearing much of the Mohmand Valley, Nangarhar,” he said.