NATO probing reports nine Afghan police killed in US airstrike
NATO probing reports nine Afghan police killed in US airstrike
NATO is investigating reports that at least nine Afghan police officers were killed in a US airstrike in eastern Afghanistan, its mission said on Tuesday.
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Many Western and Afghan officials expect 2018 to continue to be a bloody year [Getty]
NATO is investigating reports that at least nine Afghan police officers were killed in a US airstrike during heavy fighting with the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan, its mission said on Tuesday.
Afghan officials have confirmed the deaths, with interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi saying nine police were killed and 14 wounded in the aerial bombardment in Azra district of Logar province.
During the hours-long battle with insurgents overnight, police "called in air support but unfortunately foreign forces mistakenly bombed their positions", Rahimi said.
The Taliban also suffered heavy losses, he added.
Provincial council chief Hamidullah Hamid told AFP "foreign forces" had mistakenly bombed two police checkpoints and killed "about 15 police".
Resolute Support, NATO's mission in Afghanistan, confirmed US forces had conducted an airstrike "in defence of Afghan forces" in Azra district but did not mention casualties.
"We are looking into the matter further," spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Martin O'Donnell told AFP.
The US is the only international force known to be carrying out airstrikes in Afghanistan. The Afghan air force also carries out some attacks.
There are about 14,000 US ground troops in Afghanistan, making up the bulk of NATO's mission to support and train local forces.
Some of the US forces are involved in counter-terrorism operations, particularly against the Islamic State jihadist group.
On Sunday, three NATO troops were killed in a suicide attack, the United States military said.
In the run up to Afghanistan's years-delayed elections in October, security forces have struggled to get the upper hand against militant groups and prevent civilian casualties.
Many Western and Afghan officials expect 2018 to continue to be a particularly bloody year.
Earlier this month, the UN released a report showing a record number of civilians killed in the first six months of 2018, with militant attacks and suicide bombs the leading causes of death.
The toll of 1,692 fatalities was one percent more than a year earlier and the highest for the period since the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) began keeping records in 2009.
The record death toll came despite an unprecedented ceasefire by Afghan security forces and the Taliban during Ramadan that was largely respected by both sides, UNAMA said.
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