"US Friendly Fire" Kills British Soldiers in Afghanistan
    By Mark Tran
    The Guardian UK

    Friday 24 August 2007

    Three British soldiers have been killed in an apparent friendly fire incident involving US aircraft in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said today.

    Two other soldiers were injured in the incident, which occurred yesterday at 6.30pm local time (3pm BST).

    The MoD said the soldiers, from 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment, were taking part in a patrol to disrupt Taliban activity in north-west Kajaki, in Helmand province.

    The patrol was attacked by Taliban insurgents and air support was summoned in the form of two US F15 aircraft. One bomb was dropped, apparently killing the three soldiers. They were declared dead at the scene.

    The two injured soldiers were evacuated by helicopter to a medical facility at Camp Bastion for treatment.

    An investigation was launched and the soldiers' next of kin have requested a 24-hour period before further details are released.

    The US embassy in London said in a statement: "The United States expresses its deep condolences to the families and loved ones of the soldiers who died, and we wish those who were injured a speedy recovery."

    The casualties brought to 73 the total number of deaths of British forces in Afghanistan since operations began in November 2001.

    Of these, 50 were killed in action. The other 23 died from illness, accidents or injuries not from combat.

    Earlier this year the defence secretary, Des Browne, said 12 British soldiers had died in friendly fire incidents involving US forces since 1990, but that no such incidents had taken place in Afghanistan.

    Britain has about 7,000 troops in Afghanistan, mostly around Helmand province in the south of the country, where fighting has been particularly heavy.

    Violence in Afghanistan is running at its highest level since US forces invaded the country in 2001. Taliban and other militants, some with links to al-Qaida, carry out near-daily suicide attacks, roadside bombings and ambushes - especially in the east and south of the country as they attempt to destabilise the western-backed government in Kabul.

    In other developments, US-led troops shot dead a suspected militant and detained 11 others in a raid in eastern Afghanistan.

    The man was killed while "attempting to engage coalition and Afghan forces" during a raid in Nangarhar province, the statement said. The detained eleven will be questioned "as to their involvement in militant activities", it said.