Afghan security forces repel attack from gunmen dressed as US soldiers

Several militants dressed in U.S. military uniforms opened fire outside the Afghan Interior Ministry on Wednesday, before being fatally shot by security forces, the top U.S. commander in the country said. 

The attack began as 10 militants, traveling in armored vehicles, gathered outside the interior ministry in Kabul, according to The Associated Press. Two militants then detonated suicide bombs, allowing the others to pass through a gate at the ministry.

The militants traded fire with security forces before they were killed within minutes. One police officer was killed and five others were wounded in the attack, the AP reported.

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The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria claimed responsibility for the attack, but did not provide evidence for their claim. 

Gen. John Nicholson told reporters on Wednesday that it was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, but that it appeared to be the work of the Taliban’s Haqqani network. 

He said it was not the first time that militants had donned U.S. military uniforms, but that it had “been well over a year since we’ve seen that.”

Nicholson said that by wearing U.S. military uniforms, militants were trying to confuse security forces and delay their response to the attack. But, he noted, the Afghan forces responded as they should have on Wednesday.

“They did exactly what they were supposed to do,” Nicholson said.