ISAF Reports Another Insider Attack

ISAF reports that two ISAF members died when attacked by two individuals wearing Afghan National Security Force uniforms. Insider attacks in 2013 were reduced from the large number that occurred in 2012. The attack took place in eastern Afghanistan. See the ISAF news release here.
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/120511/isaf-casualties

Board States MAJ Brezler to be Separated from Marines

In a case that has captured the attention of the press and much of the military the U.S. Marine Reserve Board reviewing the case of MAJ Jason Brezler has decided to separate him from the Marine Corps. This is obviously unfortunate. The Marine officer had sent a classified document over the unclassified Internet detailing the abuses of an Afghan police officer (Sarwar Jan) who was newly assigned to a base in Southwest Afghanistan. The police chief had known Taliban ties and was a child abuser. The email warned fellow Marine officers of how dangerous this Afghan police chief was. Within 17 days of the email being sent the policeman's "tea boy" killed three Marines in an insider attack. Instead of worrying about a violation of classified material protocol perhaps the Marines should have worried more about the threat posed by the rogue Afghan policeman. With the separation of MAJ Brezler from the Marines it would seem that the Marines have lost a good Marine officer. Read more in "Brezler should be separated, board finds", Marine Corps Times, December 19, 2013.

Insider Attacks Affect Afghan Security Forces As Well

Insider attacks were a common occurrence last year (2012) in Afghanistan and garnered a lot of attention from military and government officials among the ISAF troop contributing nations (TCNs). There have been some attacks against ISAF in the early part of 2013 (most recent were in Jalrez district). However, it is sometimes not noted in the media that the Afghan security forces also experience insider attacks. The most recent one was by a member of the ALP in Badghis province. Read more in "Afghan Local Police Member Kills 5 Colleagues", Time.com, March 22, 2013.

Jalrez District Wardak Province Insider Attack Attack Update - Fatalities Identified

More details have emerged on the recent insider attack by a suspected member of the Afghan Local Police that killed two U.S. servicemen and several members of the Afghan National Security Force in Jalrez district, Wardak province, Afghanistan. The Department of Defense has released names of the two U.S. fatalities in the attack - CPT Andrew Pedersen-Keel and SSG Rex Schad. See "DoD Identifies Army Casualties", DoD News, March 13, 2013. USASOC has also released a press release on the death of CPT Pedersen-Keel - a Special Forces detachment commander. In a separate press release the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A) stated that Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC) dispatched elements of the 6th Special Operations Kandak (SOK) to the Jalrez district immediately after the incident to help secure the district.

Insider Attack at Special Forces Camp in Jalrez District Wardak Province

Two U.S. Soldiers were killed and a number of other U.S. Soldiers wounded during a green-on-blue attack by a member of the Afghan Local Police at a Special Forces camp located in Jalrez district, Wardak province, Afghanistan. The camp held a Special Forces operational detachment and additional U.S. Soldiers augmenting the SF team. Their mission was to conduct a Village Stability Operations (VSO) mission. The primary aim of VSO is the establishment of governance, development and security at the district level. Part of the security line of operations is the formation and training of a contingent of the Afghan Local Police or ALP. Apparently, it was a member of the ALP who turned on his U.S. counterparts. Also killed in the exchange of fire were some Afghan policemen with several more Afghan police wounded as well.

The attack follows several inflamatory actions and statements by Afghan President Karzai. In the past week he has accused Special Forces units of conducting atrocities in Wardak province. Both the Afghan police and military as well as ISAF have conducted investigations into these allegations and found Karzai to be incorrect. In addition, Karzai stated just a few days ago that the United States and the Taliban were conspiring together to de-stabilize Afghanistan. These perplexing statements by Karzai has confused many observers and angered leading military and political leaders of the United States. One becomes less confused when you factor in that Karzai is playing to the moderate elements of the Taliban in the realization that he will be dealing with them at the negotiating table in the next few years. So he is positioning himself as one who took a hard line against the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan.

Two More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Insider Attack at Special Forces Base in Jalrayz district, Wardak Province

Map showing location of Wardak

Two Soldiers were reported killed in an apparent insider attack by members of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) at a Special Forces base in Jalrayz district, Wardak province, Afghanistan. ISAF has released a very short official statement on the attack. Initial reports indicate that a number of other U.S. Soldiers were wounded. There were Afghan police killed and wounded in the attack. The attack comes just a few days after President Karzai has demanded the removal of U.S. Special Forces from Wardak province because of alleged atrocities committed by the SF teams and the Afghans they work with. The allegations by Karzai are unfounded and have been refuted by ISAF based on Afghan and ISAF investigations that have turned up no evidence that the alleged actions took place. The attackers were killed by other U.S. Soldiers who responded to the attack. Very little additional details on the green-on-blue attack are known at this time.

CI Training to Afghans Reduces Insider Threat Incidents

In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee Marine Corps Gen. Mattis said that "green-on-blue" attacks have decreased significantly in 2013 in Afghanistan. The attacks - called "insider attacks" - by ISAF have been reduced because the Afghan security forces have received a lot of training in counterintelligence and have become more vigilant in their efforts to spot disaffected members of the security force and Taliban infiltrators. Read more in "Training Reduces Insider Attacks", Mattis Says", American Forces Press Service, March 6, 2013. Read more news articles on insider threat.

Insider Threat or Green-on-Blue a Big Problem in Afghanistan

Recent reporting indicates that Insider Threat or Green-on-Blue incidents are on the rise in Afghanistan.  This has many military leaders worried for a number of reasons. One is the possibility that coalition support for the fight in Afghanistan will diminish as Europeans and others step up the timetable for withdrawal. Another reason is that a lack of trust will overwhelm the advisory effort. As the coalition moves from "partnering" to "advising" coalition troops will need to spend more time one-on-one with their counterpart. This becomes problematic when there is a lack of trust between the two counterparts.  To read more on this issue see insider threat.

Failure to Follow Vetting Procedures in Recruiting Afghans for Security Forces Contribute to Green on Blue Incidents

On paper the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have a robust vetting process to weed out criminals and insurgents intent on joining the security forces. However, this ANA recruit vetting process is not followed many times due to lack of training, inefficiency, poor work performance, and corruption. A lack of proper vetting means that the insider threat in Afghanistan could rise. Read more in "NATO admits to security failures in Afghan green on blue killings", New York Post, April 2, 2012.

Insider Attacks: Not Always the Taliban

A common perception is that the numerous insider attacks (called Green-on-Blue incidents) are by Taliban infilitrators who are members of the Afghan security forces and also members of the Taliban (or under their influence). This is not always true. Read more in "Stress and gripes, not Taliban, drive Afghan insider attacks: NATO", Reuters, April 2, 2012.

Reintegration and ALP: A Bad Combination?

Recent reports indicate that a Taliban fighter who recently passed through the Afghan government's reintegration program and subsequently was accepted into Afghan Local Police (ALP) killed nine other ALP members. The Afghan Peace and Reintegration Program or APRP tries to get Taliban fighters to quit fighting and return (or reintegrate) back to Afghan society. The APRP offers pay for the first three months and then subsequent vocational training. There are reports that some Taliban reintegrees have been assimilated into the Afghan Local Police or ALP. The ALP is associated with the Village Stability Operations program - sometimes referred to as VSO. The ALP is a part of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and is heavily supported and trained by the Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command - Afghanistan or CFSOCC-A. Read more on the reintegrated Taliban fighter and ALP member who killed his fellow policemen in "Rogue Afghan police officer: A Taliban infiltrator's road to fratricide", The Washington Post, April 1, 2012. Unfortunately, the recruiting of former Taliban into the Afghan Local Police is going to result in an increased number of insider threat incidents.