US soldier, American contractor killed in Afghan ‘insider attack’

Two Americans, a soldier and a civilian contractor, have been killed in a so-called insider attack in eastern Afghanistan, says the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

An ISAF spokesman said the attack was carried out during the late hours of Saturday.

Members of the Afghan army were also among the casualties as “a result of the engagement,” the spokesman added.

No further details have been reported.

The attack — the latest in a string of strikes by Afghan soldiers on foriegn troops — marked the 2,000th US troop death in Afghanistan over the long-running conflict.

The attack came a day after the United States said joint operations with Afghan forces were resuming. The operations were halted two weeks ago due to a surge in attacks by Afghan forces on foreign troops.

According to ISAF figures, over 50 foreign soldiers, about half of them Americans, have been killed this year in the insider attacks, in which Afghan soldiers turn their weapons against foreign forces.

Some 119 US-led troopers, mostly Americans, have been killed in insider attacks, also called green-on-blue attacks, since 2007, according to NATO.

The high number of foreign military casualties in Afghanistan has intensified opposition in the United States and other NATO member states to the US-led war in the country.