Airstrike by NATO kills Afghanistan soldiers

Four Afghan soldiers and three policemen were killed in an airstrike in the western province of Badghis by NATO. Defense Ministry said Saturday that the airstrike mistakenly hit a joint base housing coalition troops and Afghan security forces “During an air attack by NATO forces in Badghis province, seven Afghan forces were killed”.

Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi said an Afghan army commando unit, district police members and foreign forces were in the base in the Bala Marghab district at the time of the airstrike Friday afternoon. Roauf Ahmadi, a spokesman for the western regional police commander, said the airstrike also wounded 15 Afghan soldiers and one policeman.

The ministry said NATO and Afghan authorities were investigating the incident and would issue a report soon.

On Friday, NATO headquarters in Kabul said more than 25 NATO and Afghan security forces members were injured during a search for two U.S. paratroopers missing from a resupply mission since Wednesday.
Lt. Col. Todd Breasseale, a NATO spokesman, said Friday that initial reports indicated they had been wounded due to insurgent activity.