Three British soldiers killed by U.S. in Afghanistan

August 25, 2007

Kabul, Afghanistan - A "friendly fire" incident in southern Afghanistan has killed three British soldiers and left two seriously injured when a bomb was dropped by a U.S. aircraft on top of them.

A friendly fire incident in southern Afghanistan has killed three British soldiers and left two seriously injured when a bomb was dropped by a U.S. aircraft on top of them.

"Their patrol was attacked by Taliban insurgents and during the intense engagement that ensued close air support was called in from two U.S. F-15 aircraft to repel the enemy. One bomb was dropped and it is believed the explosion killed the three soldiers," the British Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Friday.

The incident took place northwest of Kajaki in Helmand province, where British troops have a strong presence. Two other soldiers were injured. With the deaths, 73 British soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001.

The investigation is focusing on whether the American pilots were given a wrong grid reference for the British positions or misread the data supplied to them or dropped a bomb by mistake. Military sources said that it was a British Army board of inquiry but the Americans would be expected to give full co-operation.