(Newser)
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Afghanistan is promising to step up its scrutiny of its own security forces following a surge in "green on blue" attacks. Insider attacks have killed nine US service members in the last 12 days and Afghan officials say nearly 200 new intelligence officers have been assigned to go undercover to prevent attacks, joining hundreds of others assigned earlier this year, reports the Washington Post. New recruits have been banned from using cell phones, in case they try to contact insurgents.
The Afghan army's chief of staff says vetting procedures for new recruits were never used properly but will now be reinforced. "We needed too many people," he says. "When you need 12,000 people each month—it’s a number so high that we couldn’t implement the policy." Insider attacks have caused 13% of NATO fatalities in Afghanistan this year and coalition service members have been ordered to keep their weapons loaded at all times. The new "Guardian Angels" program assigns NATO troops to stand guard over meetings with Afghan officials, ready to take on rogue Afghan soldiers.
