A U.S. airstrike has reportedly killed at least 10 Afghan soldiers after two American helicopters opened fire on an army checkpoint in Logar province early Monday. There are conflicting reports as to the number of casualties in the latest "friendly fire" incident with the Business Insider claiming 14 fatalities in the encounter.
The U.S. operation is pursuing Taliban targets who are deeply entrenched in this province south of Kabul. According to Mohammad Rahim Amin, the provincial district governor, "at 6:00 a.m. (0130 GMT) today, two U.S. helicopters attacked a checkpoint in Baraki Barak," AFP learned. He also confirmed that the death toll was 10 and the soldiers were killed when the checkpoint caught fire after the outpost was hit.
AFP quoted an American military source who said that authorities are "aware of an incident involving U.S. forces in Logar province this morning" and that an investigation is underway. Amin was quite clear in his announcement that, "The Afghan flag was waving at the checkpoint in Baraki Barak when the Americans launched their attack," reports the Daily Sun.
This news is significant as friendly soldiers and civilians killed in such encounters prove to be one of the most high-profile and contentious cases in the Afghanistan war, evoking an emotional response from the locals. A NATO air strike claimed the life of five civilians and wounded six others in a similar encounter last December. The result of the investigation for that incident revealed a lapse on the part of the American forces, specifically in the area of communication and in understanding the capabilities of the aircraft used, AFP reported.
While the checkpoint in Baraki was not considered a suspicious area, Logan province is considered a Taliban stronghold. The armed group has increased its offensive against the Afghan government, who has been battling the militants on its own since December when the U.S. and NATO ended the combat mission in the country, as reported by HNGN. The U.S. force in the country is part of an operation that is mainly providing training and support to Afghan military and police.
