US strike in Afghanistan wipes out entire Afghan security unit

(June 13) For a second time in less than a month US airstrikes carried out in "self defense" turned out to be actually attacking Afghan security forces. The strike yesterday ended up wiping out an entire unit but the exact number of deaths have yet to be disclosed,

Previous attack said to kill 17 and wound 11

According to a recent article the previous attack in the middle of May killed 18. At the time a report cited in a Digital Journal article listed just 17 killed but one could have died from wounds. In that attack the US believed their ground troops came under fire and the airstrikes actually targeted the Afghan forces who had been firing machine guns.

In spite of talk of US troops being under fire not a single US casualty was suffered. The US expressed regret at the deaths of their Afghan partners.

The US blamed the deaths on false Afghan information: "Afghan spokesperson Colonel Dave Butler said: “During heavy fighting with the Taliban in Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, our Afghan National Defense and security partners requested precision air support. We support our Afghan security partners, we deconflicted the requested support with an Afghan coordination unit to ensure the areas were clear of friendly forces. They reported and confirmed the areas were clear of friendly forces. Unfortunately, they were not and a tragic accident resulted. Afghan Security Forces as well as Taliban fighters were killed in the strikes. We’re examining the miscommunication to ensure it is not repeated. We regret this tragic loss of life of our partners and are committed to improvement every day with every mission.""

An investigation into the incident is to be made

US Afghan spokesperson Col. David Butler had praised the operation as being extensively planned and coordinated with Afghan forces in order to ensure that what happened before did not happen again. But it did.

An investigation is promised but these investigations seem to often not end and more is not publicly revealed. With the withdrawal of most US ground forces from Afghanistan, the US has launched more air operations in support of the Afghan forces. This has resulted in more civilian deaths as well as more friendly fire incidents such as this one.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

US airstrikes in Helmand Province kills 17 police and wounds 11

(May 18)After one report claims that US airstrikes in the Helmand Province hit the 601 highway battalion of the Afghan police killing 17 and wounding 11, the US is trying to blame the Afghan military for the incident.

Friendly fire strikes in Afghanistan

Friendly fire strikes have become more common especially when, as now, the US forces are relying heavily on air strikes rather than ground actions. The strikes have hit whatever looks to them as a group of combatants. Sometimes they do not ensure that they are not hitting combatants on the wrong side.

Afghan Defense Forces called in the strike

Officials say the air attack was called in by the Afghan Defense Forces who were engaged in fighting the Taliban somewhere in the area. The US claimed they had asked the Afghan Forces to make sure the area was clear of friendly forces but they failed to do so.

A recurring problem with US airstrikes is that the US does make a strenuous effort to make sure what they are bombing are the enemy forces. In recent months the US has been killing more Afghan civilians.

Casualty reports differ

The casualty figures cited are from Tolo news. However, Radio Free Afghanistan put the dead at only nine.

Afghan spokesperson Colonel Dave Butler said: “During heavy fighting with the Taliban in Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, our Afghan National Defense and security partners requested precision air support. We support our Afghan security partners, we deconflicted the requested support with an Afghan coordination unit to ensure the areas were clear of friendly forces. They reported and confirmed the areas were clear of friendly forces. Unfortunately, they were not and a tragic accident resulted. Afghan Security Forces as well as Taliban fighters were killed in the strikes. We’re examining the miscommunication to ensure it is not repeated. We regret this tragic loss of life of our partners and are committed to improvement every day with every mission."

The Afghan interior ministry earlier said it was investigating whether the officers were killed in an airstrike or in clashes with the Taliban. It appears that the airstrikes contributed to the killings although they seemingly were engaged with the Taliban at the time as well.

Taliban control or contest much of Helmand province

As in many other provinces the Taliban control or contest more than half of the districts in Helmand. They regularly deliver heavy blows to the Afghan forces who have taken the lead in the battle since late in 2014 from NATO forces. There have been off and on peace talks but so far no peace deal. Without the aid of the US, the Afghan forces no doubt would be even less able to meet the challenge of the Taliban insurgency.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

US Afghan air strike kills sixteen Afghan police

Omar Zwak a spokesperson for the governor of Helmand said:"Sixteen Afghan policemen were killed including two commanders. Two other policemen were wounded. It was most probably a miscommunication or the coordinates were not correct, which resulted in the US air strikes. An investigation has been launched."

The aerial attack on a compound took place on Friday afternoon after Afghan police had retaken a checkpoint captured by the Taliban a day earlier in Gereshk district, north of the provincial capital Lashkar Gah. A statement by the US military confirmed the event saying "aerial fires resulted in the deaths of the friendly Afghan forces, who were gathered in a compound." The statement did not give the number of deaths. There has been increased fighting in the southern Helmand province.

Trump has still not decided on a new strategy for Afghanistan. There have been recommendations that three to five thousand more troops be sent but Trump still has not announced a decision. The US has been fighting in Afghanistan for almost 16 years without defeating the Taliban insurgency. Indeed in June, US defense secretary James Mattis admitted the US was not winning in Afghanistan.

Earlier in June, US troops killed an Afghan civilian and his two young sons after their convoy was hit by a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan. Local officials and witnesses said the US troops began to fire indiscriminately after the incident. Ziya Gul a bricklayer and his two sons, 8 and 10 were working when they came under fire. A spokesperson for the governor of Nagarhar province said that an investigation had been launched into the incident. The increased civilian casualties are bound to cause resentment in Afghanistan and create political opposition to the Afghan government.

The US has upped its air attacks to a level not seen since the US forces were still in a combat role in  2012. As of  June 30 the US and coalition had used 1,634 munitions in Afghanistan just this year. In 2015 the figure was 298 and in 2016, 545.