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| Afghanistan |
| Coalition Airstrike Kills 9 Afghan Soldiers, Officials Say |
| 2008-10-23 |
| Nine Afghan soldiers were killed and four others injured by a U.S. airstrike on an Afghan army checkpoint Wednesday in an apparent friendly fire incident in eastern Afghanistan, according to Afghan and U.S. military officials. The predawn airstrike occurred after a convoy of coalition troops came under fire as they returned to their base in Khost province, according to a statement released by the U.S. military. Coalition soldiers called for air support after exchanging fire with Afghan troops near an Afghan army checkpoint in the Sayed Kheil area in what military officials said could be "a case of mistaken identity on both sides." U.S. military officials did not release the nationalities of the coalition soldiers involved in the incident. But the majority of coalition forces based in eastern Afghanistan are U.S. soldiers. Arsallah Jamal, governor of Khost province, said coalition and Afghan troops had been engaged in operations in the area for about 10 days before the strike occurred. Jamal said the army checkpoint was relatively new but was well known and on a main road. "They knew it was there. They made a mistake," Jamal said. Lt. Muhammed Gul, a spokesman for the Afghan army division based in Paktia province, said Afghan National Army troops were in the midst of an operation focused on securing a stretch of highway between Khost and Paktia province to the west. Afghan soldiers had recently set up the checkpoint as part of the operation, Gul said. Gul said the Afghan Ministry of Defense and U.S. military officials are investigating the incident. |
| Posted by:Fred |