U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Andrew Poppas hands the Train, Advise and Assist Command-South colors to U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Smiley, June 30, 2018 during a Transfer of Authority ceremony in Kandahar, Afghanistan.General Austin Scott Miller, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan, was present during the shooting that started after his meeting with the Afghan officials.
The gunman opened fire as they waited outside for Miller's helicopter to arrive. The gunman was shot and killed almost immediately.
Miller told reporters Friday that he believes that the Afghan officials were the targets of the attack.
Miller, like the other U.S. personnel around him, pulled out his handgun, which is standard practice in such a situation.
"When there’s a threat, we will draw our weapons,” said Col. Dave Butler, a Resolute Support spokesman. "That’s what we’re trained to do and Gen. Miller is no exception."
What followed was a combination of U.S. and Afghan forces securing the area and tending to the wounded.
Miller had some of the wounded transported aboard his helicopter so they could quickly receive medical treatment.
The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the attack that appeared to be the closest a U.S. commanding general in Afghanistan has come to being shot or seriously harmed.
The insider attack delayed the key parliamentary elections in Kandahar by a week, they proceeded on schedule Saturday in the rest of the country.
Kaynak:Abcnews