WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says the Afghan military has increased its vetting of local forces working with American troops as a result of recent insider attacks that killed two U.S. service members.
Mattis says Afghan President Ashraf Ghani raised the issue when the two men met in Kabul last week, amid increased concerns about Afghan forces attacking the U.S. troops they work alongside. Mattis, in his first public comments about the meeting, tells reporters at the Pentagon that Afghan leaders have increased training and security checks to make certain they are identifying any Afghans who have been radicalized.
The two leaders also discussed security for the upcoming parliamentary election and broader plans on how to sustain the military fight while also seeking reconciliation with the Taliban to end the war.
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