UK NEWS

US 'FRIENDLY FIRE' KILLS 3 BRITISH SOLDIERS

An American F15 is believed to have dropped the fatal bomb

Friday August 24,2007

By Geoff Marsh for express.co.uk

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(4)

THREE British soldiers have been killed and two injured after an American warplane dropped a bomb on their patrol in southern Afghanistan.

The soldiers, from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, were taking part in a patrol north-west of Kajaki, Helmand Province, at about 6.30pm local time yesterday.

It is believed they were killed by a bomb dropped from a US F15 aircraft to repel Taliban insurgents.

The soldiers’ next of kin have been informed, the MoD said. The patrol was intended to disrupt the Taliban and reassure local residents.

The soldiers called in close air support from two US F15s after coming under intense attack from insurgents.

The MoD said: “One bomb was dropped and it is believed the explosion killed the three soldiers.

“The three soldiers were declared dead at the scene. The injured soldiers were evacuated by helicopter to the medical facility at Camp Bastion for treatment.

The events surrounding the incident are subject to an investigation

MoD

“The events surrounding the incident are subject to an investigation.”

The deaths take the number of British military fatalities in Afghanistan since the start of operations in November 2001 to 73.

Of those who have died, 50 were killed in action or died as a result of injuries sustained in action, while 23 are known to have died either as a result of illness, non-combat injuries or accidents or have not yet been officially assigned a cause of death pending the outcome of an investigation.

A spokesman for British troops in Helmand Province, Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Mayo, told the BBC that of the two wounded soldiers, one was very seriously injured and the other was seriously injured.

He told Radio 4’s The World at One: “During this patrol they came into contact with some Taliban from a number of firing positions.

“As they came under fire they then called in some close air support to assist them and an aircraft came in, it dropped a bomb and tragically this bomb killed three of the soldiers and injured two more."

The two injured soldiers were evacuated to Camp Bastion.

He added: “One of them is seriously injured and the other one is very seriously injured.

“The circumstances of what actually happened, we are now investigating. There are a handful of different reasons why this tragic incident has happened and we are not in a position at the moment and I don’t think we will be for some time to find out exactly what has happened.”

RIGHT AND WRONG.

24.08.07, 10:41pm

Emperor Mong, while you may be correct about U.S. 'blue-on-blue' culpability on multiple occasions, you are incorrect with regard to the legality of this action in Afghanistan.
You would be correct if this incident had happened in Iraq.
Albert

• Posted by: AlbertM • Report Comment

US 'FRIENDLY FIRE' KILLS 3 BRITISH SOLDIERS

24.08.07, 8:54pm

I remember a relative of mine telling me that the worst War Scenario possible is to have the Gung Ho Yanks involved.

Time after Time it happens - our lads get killed by American Fire.

The Yanks just dont seem to give a sh$t - they just loose off the Arsenal without a dam for who is in the way.

All I can say is that the War Monger Tony Blair has a lot to answer for for sending our lads there in the first place to fight his Illegal War.

• Posted by: EmperorMing • Report Comment