US commander drew firearm in Kandahar attack
Gen. Scott Miller, the head of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, drew his sidearm during an attack that erupted in a Kandahar compound Thursday, according to a coalition member with direct knowledge of what happened.
Posted — UpdatedMiller did not fire, the official said. It's so rare for such a senior US military officer to be in a position that would require him to draw a weapon that US military officials said they could not immediately recall a similar case.
The police chief of Kandahar province was killed and two Americans were wounded in the attack that took place following a security meeting. The Taliban released a statement claiming responsibility, saying they killed "the notorious police chief" who was their primary target in the attack. The shooter was killed by the US military, one official said Thursday.
Miller was not in the direct line of fire of the gunman but was standing close by, the source said. Miller stayed in place to assure that the wounded were tended to and ordered them to be evacuated out of the area before non-wounded personnel. Some wounded personnel were quickly evacuated in the same helicopter as Miller leaving the scene.
Miller has years of experience commanding special operations forces. "He is the most lethal guy in the US military," another special operations member said.
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