Man in Afghan Uniform Kills US General

A man dressed in an Afghan army uniform opened fire today on NATO troops at a military base, killing a US two-star general and wounding some 15 people, among them a German brigadier general and a number of Americans troops, authorities said. The attack at Camp Qargha, a base west of Kabul, killed the highest-ranking US officer of the nearly 13-year war. In fact, the New York Times says he would be the highest-ranking officer killed in hostile action since the Vietnam War. For now, US officials have identified him only as a major general. One official said about half of the wounded were Americans.

Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, a spokesman for Afghanistan's Defense Ministry, said a "terrorist in an army uniform" opened fire on both local and international troops. Azimi said the shooter had been killed and that three Afghan army officers were wounded. He did not offer a motive for the assault. The attack comes after so-called "insider attacks"—incidents in which Afghan security turn on their NATO partners—saw a large drop last year. (More Afghanistan stories.)