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Afghan troops 'killed by US air strike' Afghan troops 'killed by US air strike'
(about 2 hours later)
At least seven Afghan soldiers have been killed and five others wounded in what appears to be a US air strike near Kabul, according to the governor of Logar province. At least eight Afghan soldiers have been killed and five others wounded in what appears to be a US air strike near Kabul, according to the governor of Logar province.
The attack took place shortly before 7am on Monday, when two helicopters struck an army outpost on a hill in the district of Baraki Barak in Logar, Mohammad Halim Fidai said. If confirmed, the attack would be the deadliest incident of friendly fire involving international forces since the war began in 2001.
He could not confirm the origin of the helicopters, but provincial police told media outlets that they were American. They said eight soldiers had died. The US military confirmed that its troops had been involved in an incident in the area. Shortly before 7am on Monday, two helicopters struck an army outpost on a hill in Chiltan, in the district of Baraki Barak in Logar, Mohammad Halim Fidai said.
He could not confirm the origin of the helicopters, but the Logar police chief said they were American. The US military confirmed that its troops had been involved in an incident in the area.
Col Brian Tribus, US military spokesman in Afghanistan, said: “We are aware of an incident involving US forces in Logar province this morning. The incident is under investigation.”Col Brian Tribus, US military spokesman in Afghanistan, said: “We are aware of an incident involving US forces in Logar province this morning. The incident is under investigation.”
Fidai said he had sent an army investigation team to the site south of the capital. “They are investigating and collecting all the details about what happened,” he said. Logar has long been an embattled province, with local politicians warning late last year as foreign troops were withdrawing from Afghanistan in large numbers that several districts in the province were in danger of falling to the Taliban.
Despite the withdrawal of most of its combat troops, the US has increased the number of air strikes in Afghanistan during the past month. In June, it carried out 106 air strikes, compared with 41 in May, according to military statistics. While a significant jump, that number is less than previous years. Last year the US carried out 2,363 air strikes. As of the end of June this year, the number was 305. Since the beginning of 2015, Nato’s mission, Resolute Support, has been limited to training, advising and assisting Afghan forces. There are, however, still a number of American combat troops left in Afghanistan who are not part of the Nato mission, some of whom carry out air strikes.
In fact, the US has increased the number of air strikes in Afghanistan during the past month. In June, it carried out 106 air strikes, compared with 41 in May, according to military statistics. While a significant jump, that is fewer than previous years. Last year the US carried out 2,363 air strikes. As of the end of June this year, the number was 305.
Fidai said the army in Logar had sent several requests for US air support, but without luck, despite worsening security in several areas. However, he said there was no fighting in Baraki Barak when the incident occurred on Monday.
“There was no sign of the enemy,” Fidai said. “Normally, there is a potential enemy there in Baraki Barak, but these days, in general, the situation was very calm.”
The district governor of Baraki Barak, Mohammad Amin, blamed foreign troops for not coordinating with the local Afghan national army brigade.
“There was [an Afghan] flag on the checkpoint, and the soldiers were in uniform, but they bombarded the checkpoint anyway,” he said.
An investigation team dispatched with the district governor to the site of the incident came under mortar attack from what they said were Taliban forces. In the early afternoon, the Logar police chief, Daud Ahmadi, said the fighting was still ongoing. The injured soldiers had been taken to a military hospital in neighbouring Paktia province.