Six people working at the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, have been fired for using or possessing illegal drugs.
A State Department official said the firings followed an investigation into allegations of misconduct. The official said the embassy employees have been fired, while the others, who were contractors for the embassy, have been removed from the contract.
The official declined to provide details about what led to the investigation. But the infractions are particularly troubling given the long effort by the US to address the narcotics trade in Afghanistan.
Opium production is a major source of income for insurgents and the Taliban.
The official wasn't authorised to discuss personnel situations publicly and requested anonymity.
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