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New details show how close the American general in Afghanistan was to the violent insider attack on Thursday in Kandahar, which killed two senior Afghan security officials and wounded the governor of the province. General Austin Scott Miller said on Friday that he thought the attacker was targeting Afghan officials and said he was confident that despite the attack, Afghan forces will be able to do so. ensure the security of Saturday's key legislative elections.
The attack killed General Abdul Raziq, the well-known police chief in Kandahar, and General Abdul Mohmin, the highest intelligence official in the province. Kandahar Governor Zalmai Wessa was injured along with three other people, including a US military and a US civilian employee.
On Friday, Miller told the Tolo news agency that he was convinced that "what happened in Kandahar was an attack on the security forces."
"My assessment is that I was not the target," Miller said. "It was a confined space very close, but I do not evaluate that I was the target."
The attack took place shortly after Miller attended a meeting with senior civilian and military officials in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan.
The American general and Afghan officials had settled in an area outside the governor's residence in anticipation of the arrival of the military helicopter to carry Miller and his staff, according to Colonel Dave Butler, spokesman for Resolute Support, the NATO training mission. in Afghanistan.
The group was chatting to each other while waiting for Miller's helicopter when, Butler said, an armed man dressed in an Afghan security uniform fired on them with an automatic weapon.
Butler pointed out that Miller was not in the shooter's line of fire and was firing at Afghan officials.
The gunman was shot immediately. "It was over in seconds," Butler said.
Miller, like other US personnel around him, pulled out his handgun, which is common practice in such a situation.
"When there is a threat, we will shoot our weapons," Butler said. "That's what we're trained for and General Miller is no exception."
What followed was a combination of US and Afghan forces securing the area and caring for the wounded.
Miller had some of the wounded on board his helicopter so that they could receive medical treatment quickly.
On Friday, at a hospital bedside interview with Afghan reporters, Wessa said his health was improving and called the terrorist attack.
The attack resulted in the postponement of a week of parliamentary elections in Kandahar scheduled for Saturday.
A day after the Kandahar attack, Miller was seen on the streets of Kabul, greeting Afghan security personnel before Saturday's key legislative elections.
Butler said Miller's visit with Afghan forces was aimed at "giving the Afghan people and the security forces some confidence."
Mr Miller said he was confident that with the support of the United States and NATO, Afghan security forces would effectively contribute to the security of Saturday's elections in the rest of the country.
"We will continue our support My message to the Afghan people has been very consistent: you have every right to be proud of your security forces and the preparations for this election despite this unfortunate and tragic event in Kandahar", he said.
