July 22 (UPI) — More than a dozen Afghanistan police officers were killed during an airstrike in the Helmand province on Friday.
At least 15 officers were killed and at least one more was injured in the friendly fire incident during a U.S.-supported Afghan National Defense and Security Forces counterinsurgency airstrike targeting insurgents in the Gereshk district.
Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said missiles fired by a U.S. drone struck the security outpost during fighting Friday afternoon.
“Aerial fires resulted in the deaths of the friendly Afghan forces who were gathered in a compound,” U.S. Forces-Afghanistan said in a statement. “We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families affected by this unfortunate incident.”
Afghan officials were notified about the incident and an investigation is pending.
“An investigation will be conducted to determine the specific circumstances that led to this incident,” U.S. Forces said.
