By Abdullah Achakzai
Families of Afghan National Police force members killed in a U.S. airstrike in Helmand province on Friday asked government to punish those behind the incident.
At least 16 policemen were killed in a ‘friendly fire’ airstrike in Gereshk district.
“Fighting started on Friday morning and was still ongoing by the afternoon but foreign forces did not interfere. When the village was cleared, they (foreign forces) conducted the airstrike. Those ordered the strike should be brought to justice,” said Haji Abdulhai, family member of one of the policemen.
“They were very good soldiers and from my family, five people were killed,” another family member of the policemen Haji Mohammad Jan said. “We will leave our district if government does not investigate the incident.”
Helmand police headquarters and foreign troops said a team has been assigned to probe the incident.
The soldiers were killed in Parchaw village in Gereshk district after they took control of the area.
According to Helmand soldiers and residents of the village, the U.S. forces’ airstrike targeted a number of check posts of security forces.
“The policemen were here in this house which was bombarded and all of them were killed,” Noor Mohammad, a soldier said, talking about the incident.
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