Taliban say Afghan shoots U.S. soldiers

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KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- An alleged attack on U.S. forces by an Afghan man employed by the national army was one of the most significant since spring, the Taliban said.

The Taliban, in a statement Thursday, claimed that an employee of the Afghan National Army fired on U.S. forces at a joint operations base in Laghman province. The movement reports that "at least" six U.S. soldiers were killed before the assailant was shot fatally by an attack helicopter in the area.

The International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan made no mention of the attack in its operational briefings.

"A senior Taliban leader" was arrested by joint forces in Balkh province earlier this week. The U.S. Defense Department published nothing of the alleged shooting in Laghman.

The Taliban said the attack was one of the most significant since the start of its spring offensive.