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1st LD Writethru: U.S. troops mistakenly attack Afghan army checkpoint, killing 8

Xinhua, July 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

At least eight Afghan army soldiers were feared killed and five others wounded after U.S. forces of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission attacked a security checkpoint mistakenly by an air raid in eastern Logar province on Monday morning, local sources said.

"Helicopters of the U.S. forces bombed an army security checkpoint in Chelton locality of Baraki Barak district at wee hours of the day, causing eight soldiers killed and five others wounded," a provincial source told Xinhua anonymously.

The incident occurred as a result of a "friendly fire and that the reality is that while unlucky, this is always a risk during compound combat situations during fighting against insurgents." the source said, adding that details will be unveiled following an ongoing investigation into the incident.

General Zahir Azimi, Afghan defense ministry spokesman, said on his twitter account that "a number of national army personnel were killed and wounded after a checkpoint was destroyed in Baraki Barak of Logar as a result of coalition forces' firing."

He also said a joint investigation was launched following the attack in the province with Pul-e-Alam as its capital, some 60 km south of Afghan capital.

The province has been the scene of heavy clashes between security forces and Taliban militants over the past couple of months. Endi