France suspends operations in Afghanistan after Afghan soldier kills 4 troops

2012-01-21 13:07:54 GMT+7 (ICT)

PARIS/KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday partly suspended French operations in Afghanistan after four of its service members were shot dead by a rogue Afghan soldier. Sarkozy is also considering to withdraw French troops from the country.

The attack happened on early Friday morning when a group of French soldiers were performing physical workout at a military base in the Tagab district of Kapisa province. The group of soldiers, who were not carrying weapons, were suddenly attacked by an Afghan soldier who was armed with an automatic weapon.

The French Ministry of Defense said the shooting left four French soldiers killed and 16 others injured, including eight soldiers who were seriously injured. "French and U.S. helicopters immediately took off to evacuate the injured," the Defense ministry said, adding that the victims were taken to a French military hospital in Kabul and a U.S. military hospital at Bagram Airfield.

The attacker, a non-commissioned officer, attempted to flee the scene but was quickly arrested by French soldiers.

The French government was outraged by the attack, the latest in a series of incidents in which Afghan soldiers turned their weapons on coalition service members. Sarkozy immediately announced the suspension of training and assistance to Afghan forces and sent Defense Minister Gerard Longuet to the country to evaluate the situation on the ground and meet with Afghan leaders.

"The French army is in Afghanistan to help the Afghan people in their fight against terrorism and against the Taliban," Sarkozy said during a press conference. "The French army is not in Afghanistan to be shot at by Afghan soldiers. We are friends of Afghanistan, we are allies of the Afghan people, but I can't accept Afghan soldiers opening fire on French soldiers."

As a result of the incident, coming just weeks after another rogue Afghan soldier killed two French troops, Sarkozy said he would consider accelerating the withdrawal of his country's troops from Afghanistan. France currently has nearly 4,000 service members which are based in eastern Afghanistan. A total of 82 French soldiers have died since the U.S.-led war began in 2001.

Asked about Sarkozy's comments, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said France is a 'valued member' of the NATO-led coalition. "I don’t want to get ahead of any discussions or decision that France might make with regard to its presence as part of that coalition," he said. "We believe the mission in Afghanistan is very important. The coalition is very important."

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-01-21

There sure is alot to like about Mr Sarkozy and the way in which he views matters. These sort of attacks have been on the increase since early last year without consequence. Good to see a leader actually making a statement to the Afghan government.

Wish Obama would do the same

I am not inclined to agree with Flying's position on matters such as these, but I do believe he may be right. At the end of this who fiasco, I doubt that it will end well, I doubt the Taliban will be gone and I doubt that Afghanistan will takes it's place on the World Stage.

It's a tribal country living in the social stone age and the effort required to move it forward will take many, many generations and in the end as long as they have a enemy to fight, be it religious or geo-political, that movement will not take place.

It is a hotbed of terrorism and likely will be for a long time. Let the Afghani's and their like minded friends take care of Afghanistan.

The attack made sure that France won't pull her troops out - pulling out would look like the Taliban reached a result.

it s nothink the do with the tailban . oil pipe lines and drugs since the invation drugs have increased

There sure is alot to like about Mr Sarkozy and the way in which he views matters. These sort of attacks have been on the increase since early last year without consequence. Good to see a leader actually making a statement to the Afghan government.

There's also a lot to not like about the guy... plus an election's looming.

The French are following their tradition at capitulation at the first glimpse of hostilities much as they did in W.W.2.

The French money is now operating in Libya where the profits will be enormous.

Edited January 22, 201214 yr by siampolee

Actually Sarkozy has a point. So called operation Enduring freedom is a terrible misnomer as the Taliban are only a symptom of why there is so much suffering there, the root cause is their archaic belief system. A case in point is even the Kahzai regime has cases of death sentences handed down to apostates, or a woman who was forced to marry the man who raped her. The belief systems are responsible for hatred of outsiders hence the fact that no Afghan troops can ever be completely trusted; the same even applies to body guards of their own leaders!

The British colonial approach to particularly problematic areas was to not even attempt to rule them but periodically go in and dismantle their capacity to wage war and not stick around to be shot at, drones are perhaps a modern parallel to this approach.

Yes I agree unless we are prepared to dismantle their belief systems it's best not to be there, but a quid pro quo would be highly advisable, as to allow immigration from such places and expect integration into our own societies is equal folly, I suspect Mr Sarkozy knows this all to well, but his hands are tied by the E.U.

Edited January 22, 201214 yr by Steely Dan

it s nothink the do with the tailban . oil pipe lines and drugs since the invation drugs have increased

yeah, apparently drugs are on the rise everywhere... don't smoke weed and type!

The French are following their tradition at capitulation at the first glimpse of hostilities much as they did in W.W.2.

The French money is now operating in Libya where the profits will be enormous.

How can you spot a French soldier. He has sun burnt armpits.