US service member killed in Afghanistan

A US soldier has been killed in an insider attack, often referred to as a ‘green on blue’ attack, in which Afghan service members or attackers wearing Afghan uniforms fire on US or coalition troops. (Reuters)
Updated 03 September 2018
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US service member killed in Afghanistan

  • The service member, who has not been identified, was the sixth American to be killed in Afghanistan this year
  • The incident came two months after a member of a US army training unit was shot dead by an Afghan soldier

KABUL: A US service member was killed and another wounded in an apparent insider attack in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, the NATO-led Resolute Support mission said in a statement.
The service member, who has not been identified, was the sixth American to be killed in Afghanistan this year.
The incident came two months after a member of a US army training unit was shot dead by an Afghan soldier in the southern province of Uruzgan.
“The sacrifice of our service member, who volunteered for a mission to Afghanistan to protect his country, is a tragic loss for all who knew and all who will now never know him,” said Gen. Scott Miller, who assumed command of NATO forces in Afghanistan on Sunday.
Insider attacks, often known as “green on blue” attacks in which Afghan service members or attackers wearing Afghan uniforms fire on US or coalition troops, have been a regular feature of the conflict in Afghanistan, although their frequency has diminished in recent years.
Coalition forces have also tightened security and added extra force protection measures including special “Guardian Angel” units to accompany training units.
The Resolute Support statement said the wounded service member was in a stable condition but gave no further details, saying their name would be withheld until after next of kin were notified.


Bangladesh’s religio-political party open to unity govt

Updated 01 January 2026
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Bangladesh’s religio-political party open to unity govt

  • Opinion polls suggest that Jamaat-e-Islami will finish a close second to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in the first election it has contested in nearly 17 years

DHAKA: A once-banned Bangladeshi religio-political party, poised for its strongest electoral showing in February’s parliamentary vote, is open to joining a unity government and has held talks with several parties, its chief said.

Opinion polls suggest that Jamaat-e-Islami will finish a close second to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in the first election it has contested in nearly 17 years as it marks a return to mainstream politics in the predominantly Muslim nation of 175 million.

Jamaat last held power between 2001 and 2006 as a junior coalition partner with the BNP and is open to working with it again.

“We want to see a stable nation for at least five years. If the parties come together, we’ll run the government together,” Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman said in an interview at his office in a residential area in Dhaka, ‌days after the ‌party created a buzz by securing a tie-up with a Gen-Z party.

Rahman said anti-corruption must be a shared agenda for any unity government.

The prime minister will come from the party winning the most seats in the Feb. 12 election, he added. If Jamaat wins the most seats, the party will decide whether he himself would be a candidate, Rahman said.

The party’s resurgence follows the ousting of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a youth-led uprising in August 2024. 

Rahman said Hasina’s continued stay in India after fleeing Dhaka was a concern, as ties between the two countries have hit their lowest point in decades since her downfall.

Asked about Jamaat’s historical closeness to Pakistan, Rahman said: “We maintain relations in a balanced way with all.”

He said any government that includes Jamaat would “not feel comfortable” with President Mohammed Shahabuddin, who was elected unopposed with the Awami League’s backing in 2023.