An Afghan soldier who killed a two-star general at a Kabul training site in August was a disgruntled soldier and not a member of the Taliban, and his unplanned attack was a crime of opportunity, according to a U.S. military report released Thursday.
“Although there have been many leads, nothing has yet materialized that conclusively links the shooter to any plots, plans or person of interest,” the report states.
Investigators believe the Afghan soldier was either self-radicalized or suffered “from some sort of psychological condition.” Their report shows the shooter “had purported grievances with his chain of command.”
Investigators say the lone-wolf shooter, known as Rafiqullah, took advantage of an unscheduled stop that the 55-year-old two-star general and other coalition forces made while touring Marshal Fahim National Defense University in Kabul. Rafiqullah noticed the group and entered a nearby bathroom with a view of the gathering. He used his M16 rifle to shoot off 27 to 30 rounds at it.
The bullets struck 18 people, including Maj. Gen. Harold J. Greene, who was killed, according to the report.
Coalition forces fired back at Rafiqullah and killed him.
“From the evidence we have been able to ascertain from the ANA, and from several detained personnel we were able to interview, it appears the shooting was not pre-meditated, and the shooter simply took advantage [of] a target of opportunity provided by the close gathering,” the report states.
A three-page synopsis of the events surrounding the attack indicates that investigators found no signs of a security threat on the day that Greene was gunned down at the training site.
But the investigators did not have enough evidence to conclude what Rafiqullah knew about the tour group before attacking the party.
“It is unknown exactly how much information Rafiqullah knew about the visit, or who would be in attendance,” the report states. “Rafiqullah was scheduled to work the East Guard Post for his shift, but was moved to the roving patrol due to a lack of personnel.”
The Taliban did not claim responsibility for Greene’s death, the highest-ranking U.S. military officer to be killed in combat in more than 30 years, or claim that the shooter was trained and operating on its behalf, according to the report.
The incident is still under investigation, the report said.
• Maggie Ybarra can be reached at mybarra@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.