NATO Afghanistan mission service member killed in possible insider attack in Herat province
Czech service member is the fourth killed in 2 months in Taliban attacks
A Czech service member with NATO’s mission in Afghanistan was killed in Herat province in a possible insider attack, Resolute Support said on Monday, October 22.
“Two other Resolute Support service members were wounded in the incident. Initial reports indicate the attack was committed by a member of the Afghan security forces,” Resolute Support said in a statement.”
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying an “infiltrator” working at the Shindand airbase in the province opened fire on U.S. troops.
The Czech Army said one of its personnel was killed and two others wounded when their vehicle came under attack in Herat.
“One Czech soldier was killed and two were injured in an attack on Shindand base,” Colonel Magdalena Dvorakova told The Defense Post.
He was later identified as Corporal Tomáš Procházk.
The injured soldiers were given first aid at the scene and later transported by air to a military hospital at Bagram air base. In a press release, the army said their injuries are not life-threatening.
On Wednesday, five Czech soldiers were injured near Bagam in Parwan province when a civilian vehicle filled with explosives was blown up near their armored vehicle, which rolled over. One soldier was seriously wounded and underwent surgery.
On August 5, three Czech soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing while on patrol in Parwan province alongside a U.S. soldier and two Afghan soldiers, who were wounded.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for that attack, the deadliest assault on NATO soldiers in months.
Lidove noviny reported last week that Czech special forces had killed one of the August attackers and captured another, while Czech TV reported that many more had been killed and captured.
According to the defense ministry, 346 Czech personnel are deployed to the Resolute Support mission. Including Monday’s attack, 14 have been killed.
Insider attacks
The incident in the second “green on blue” attack in Afghanistan in less than week. On October 18, a bodyguard for Kandahar governor Zalmay Wesa opened fire on Afghan and U.S. officials following a high-level security meeting.
Kandahar police chief General Abdul Raziq and National Security Directorate provincial chief Abdulmomin Hassankhail were killed. Wesa and U.S. Army Brigadier General Jeffrey Smiley were injured.
General Scott Miller, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, attended the meeting but was not injured.
NDS chief Masoom Stanekzai said earlier Monday that the assailant was hired as a bodyguard about six weeks before the attack with a “private guarantee” and fake name and ID.
This story was updated at 2035 GMT on October 22 with confirmation from the Czech Republic Ministry of Defence.
