{"id":84150,"date":"2018-09-11T20:54:07","date_gmt":"2018-09-11T20:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/09\/11\/mattis-afghans-boost-troop-vetting-after-insider-attacks\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T07:23:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:23:22","slug":"mattis-afghans-boost-troop-vetting-after-insider-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/09\/11\/mattis-afghans-boost-troop-vetting-after-insider-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"Mattis: Afghans boost troop vetting after insider attacks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The Afghan military has increased its vetting of local forces working with American troops as a result of recent insider attacks that killed two U.S. service members, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mattis was making his first public comments about his meetings in Afghanistan last week when he raised the issue with President Ashraf Ghani amid increased concerns about Afghan forces attacking U.S. troops they work alongside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Mattis said that Afghan leaders increased training for their troops and expanded security checks “to make certain we’re catching people who’ve been radicalized.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cpl. Joseph Maciel<\/a>, of South Gate, California, was shot and killed and two others were wounded in July at Tarin Kowt in southern Uruzgan province. And Army Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy A. Bolyard<\/a>, of Thornton, West Virginia, was shot and killed and another service member was wounded by a member of the Afghan national police in eastern Logar province. The troops were all part of the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade, which is spread out across Afghanistan to train and advise local forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\t