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Nato strike 'kills Afghan police' Nato strike 'kills Afghan police'
(about 1 hour later)
A Nato air strike has killed seven policemen in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province, Afghan officials say.A Nato air strike has killed seven policemen in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province, Afghan officials say.
The officers were mistakenly hit after a joint Nato-Afghan patrol was ambushed by Taliban insurgents, the officials told news agencies.The officers were mistakenly hit after a joint Nato-Afghan patrol was ambushed by Taliban insurgents, the officials told news agencies.
The Nato-led International Security Assistance Force said it was investigating the reports. The Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said it was investigating the reports.
The incident comes as Nato-led forces battle Taliban insurgents in a major operation in southern Helmand province.The incident comes as Nato-led forces battle Taliban insurgents in a major operation in southern Helmand province.
On Sunday, 12 civilians died in a missile strike which Nato said had also killed three Taliban militants.
ISAF said it was aware of an "incident" in Kunduz province and was gathering information before releasing a statement.
Afghan officials said the air strike was called in after a patrol of Afghan soldiers, police and Nato troops had been attacked by Taliban in Imam Sahib district.
The Afghan forces were hit by mistake, killing seven policemen and wounding two, a spokesman for the interior ministry said.
'Human shields''Human shields'
In Helmand, about 15,000 Afghan and Nato troops, mostly US and British, are battling Taliban in and around the town of Marjah. About 15,000 Afghan and Nato troops, mostly US and British, are battling Taliban in and around the town of Marjah.
It was there on Sunday that two Nato missiles hit a house, killing 12 civilians. Nato said three Taliban fighters were also killed in the strike. I would be very cautious about any triumphalism just yet Maj Gen Nick CarverNato commander, southern Afghanistan class="" href="/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8520754.stm">When Taliban fighters change sides class="" href="/2/hi/south_asia/8516800.stm">Operation Moshtarak day-by-day
The area has long been known as a Taliban stronghold, and was considered a major hub of Afghanistan's opium poppy trade.
The operation, which began on 13 February, is intended to oust the Taliban from the area and establish the control of the Kabul government.
British Maj Gen Nick Carter, in command of Nato forces in southern Afghanistan, said Operation Moshtarak, which means "together" in Dari, would take 25-30 days to secure the area.
More time would be needed after that to fully gauge the operation's success.
"Looking downstream, in three months' time or thereabouts we should have a pretty fair idea about whether we've been successful," he said.
"But I would be very cautious about any triumphalism just yet."
Nato and Afghan officials have claimed a degree of success in securing the area around Marjah but have run into stiff opposition from determined Taliban in the town itself.
Nato has praised the conduct of Afghan troops in Operation Moshtarak
Nato officials said they had learned from intercepted Taliban communications that the insurgents were running low on ammunition and have called for support.
Afghan commanders have said the Taliban in Marjah are using civilians as human shields to deter attacks from the US and Afghan troops.Afghan commanders have said the Taliban in Marjah are using civilians as human shields to deter attacks from the US and Afghan troops.
The Marjah area has long been known as a Taliban stronghold, and was considered a major hub of Afghanistan's opium poppy trade. On Sunday, 12 civilians died in a missile strike that Nato said had also killed three Taliban militants who were in the same house.
One villager who had fled to Helmand's provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, told BBC Pashto that relatives could not leave Marjah because the area was heavily mined.
Britain's defence ministry said on Thursday that a British soldier involved in Operation Moshtarak was killed in an explosion near Babaji in Helmand.
Meanwhile, ISAF said it was investigating the reports from Kunduz province of an airstrike hitting Afghan police.
Afghan officials said the air strike was called in after a patrol of Afghan soldiers, police and Nato troops had been attacked by Taliban in Imam Sahib district.
The Afghan forces were hit by mistake, killing seven policemen and wounding two, a spokesman for the interior ministry said.