• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Paris Curbs ISAF Work After Afghan Soldier Attacks French Troops

January 20, 2012

President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced that France is suspending all joint combat operations and training programs for Afghan troops after an Afghan National Army soldier apparently shot and killed four French soldiers and wounded many others in eastern Afghanistan.

Sarkozy called it "unacceptable" that Afghan soldiers would fire at French troops.

"We are the Afghan people's friends, and we are Afghan people's allies, but I can't accept that Afghan soldiers could fire on French soldiers," Sarkozy said. "If the security conditions are not clearly established, then the question of an anticipated withdrawn of the French army will be raised."

ISAF initially announced the January 20 incident in a statement, saying the perpetrator was an Afghan National Army soldier. ISAF said the suspected shooter had been detained.

Afghan officials said another 17 French soldiers were wounded in the incident, which took place in eastern Kapisa Province.

France has 3,600 troops serving with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). More than 80 French soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001.

Incidents of NATO soldiers being killed by Afghan army troops have increased in recent months, undermining trust in the leadup to the withdrawal of foreign combat troops in 2014.

In a statement, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said such "tragic incidents" were "isolated" and that NATO remains committed to helping Afghans take over responsibility for their country's security as foreign combat troops prepare to leave in 2014.

In a separate incident, NATO said six soldiers identified as U.S. marines had been killed in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan on January 19.

compiled from agency reports

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/afghan_soldier_kills_ isaf_troops/24457689.html

Copyright (c) 2012. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.