BAGRAM AIR FORCE BASE — Suicide prevention has become a major Pentagon initiative as the U.S. military has struggled with the issue in recent years, and now officials say they will be including Afghan forces also fighting the epidemic.

“The recent rash of attacks on Western troops by members of the Afghan forces, known as 'Green-on-Blue' attacks, are a cry for help,” said Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. So far this year, at least 30 Afghan soldiers and police officers have committed suicide by attacking U.S. and NATO troops.

In a press conference at the Pentagon, Dempsey told reporters that most of the alleged attacks were Afghans committing "suicide-by-soldier."