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| US probes 'friendly fire' deaths | US probes 'friendly fire' deaths |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The US has begun an investigation into the deaths of three British soldiers killed in Afghanistan by "friendly fire" from US fighter planes. | |
| The US State Department pledged a thorough inquiry and said it was "deeply saddened". | The US State Department pledged a thorough inquiry and said it was "deeply saddened". |
| It is understood the soldiers, from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, died when US fighters dropped a bomb near their patrol in Helmand province. | It is understood the soldiers, from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, died when US fighters dropped a bomb near their patrol in Helmand province. |
| The men are expected to be named by the Ministry of Defence later. | The men are expected to be named by the Ministry of Defence later. |
| Two other soldiers were injured. The next of kin have been informed. | Two other soldiers were injured. The next of kin have been informed. |
| 'Deep condolences' | 'Deep condolences' |
| The US State Department's Kurt Volker said in a statement: "The United States is deeply saddened by the death of three British soldiers in Afghanistan and the wounding of two others in a friendly fire incident involving ordnance dropped by a US aircraft." | The US State Department's Kurt Volker said in a statement: "The United States is deeply saddened by the death of three British soldiers in Afghanistan and the wounding of two others in a friendly fire incident involving ordnance dropped by a US aircraft." |
| Mr Volker, the US principal deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, added: "We will investigate this tragic incident thoroughly with our British allies. | Mr Volker, the US principal deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, added: "We will investigate this tragic incident thoroughly with our British allies. |
| "We are committed to making information available as quickly as possible." | "We are committed to making information available as quickly as possible." |
| The US Embassy in London said in a statement: "The United States expresses its deep condolences to the families and loved ones of the soldiers who died and we wish those who were injured a speedy recovery." | The US Embassy in London said in a statement: "The United States expresses its deep condolences to the families and loved ones of the soldiers who died and we wish those who were injured a speedy recovery." |
| "The UK soldiers were serving under the Nato-led International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) which is helping the Afghan people to build a peaceful, prosperous, and stable country." | "The UK soldiers were serving under the Nato-led International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) which is helping the Afghan people to build a peaceful, prosperous, and stable country." |
| We go to extraordinary lengths to ensure these things don't happen Des BrowneDefence secretary No easy fix for 'friendly fire' High risks on battleground | We go to extraordinary lengths to ensure these things don't happen Des BrowneDefence secretary No easy fix for 'friendly fire' High risks on battleground |
| The MoD said all the soldiers had been taking part in a fighting patrol to disrupt Taleban activity to the north west of Kajaki, in Helmand province. | The MoD said all the soldiers had been taking part in a fighting patrol to disrupt Taleban activity to the north west of Kajaki, in Helmand province. |
| They came under attack from Taleban insurgents and during the firefight that followed, close air support was called in from two US F15 aircraft, the MoD said. | They came under attack from Taleban insurgents and during the firefight that followed, close air support was called in from two US F15 aircraft, the MoD said. |
| Defence Secretary Des Browne said he was "very saddened" by the death of "three brave men who were tragically killed in what is believed to be a friendly fire incident". | Defence Secretary Des Browne said he was "very saddened" by the death of "three brave men who were tragically killed in what is believed to be a friendly fire incident". |
| He said such incidents were rare and the latest tragedy would be thoroughly investigated. | He said such incidents were rare and the latest tragedy would be thoroughly investigated. |
| He added that US air support was very important and had often helped get British troops out of dangerous situations. | He added that US air support was very important and had often helped get British troops out of dangerous situations. |
| "We go to extraordinary lengths to ensure these things don't happen but at the end of the day combat environments are very complex environments. Human error is always a possibility," he said. | "We go to extraordinary lengths to ensure these things don't happen but at the end of the day combat environments are very complex environments. Human error is always a possibility," he said. |
| Multiple attacks | Multiple attacks |
| Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Mayo, a spokesman for British troops in Helmand province told BBC Radio 4's The World at One: "During this patrol they came into contact with some Taleban from a number of firing positions. | Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Mayo, a spokesman for British troops in Helmand province told BBC Radio 4's The World at One: "During this patrol they came into contact with some Taleban 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." | "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 three soldiers were declared dead at the scene. The injured two were evacuated by helicopter to the medical facility at Camp Bastion. | The three soldiers were declared dead at the scene. The injured two were evacuated by helicopter to the medical facility at Camp Bastion. |
| Lt Col Mayo said one of the two was very seriously wounded and the other seriously wounded. | Lt Col Mayo said one of the two was very seriously wounded and the other seriously wounded. |
| BBC Kabul correspondent Alastair Leithead said close air support was relied on by ground troops to provide cover, attack the enemy and to get them out of trouble. | BBC Kabul correspondent Alastair Leithead said close air support was relied on by ground troops to provide cover, attack the enemy and to get them out of trouble. |
| "In the heat of battle when support is needed very quickly, nine times out of 10 it really does help to get troops out of very difficult positions," he said. | "In the heat of battle when support is needed very quickly, nine times out of 10 it really does help to get troops out of very difficult positions," he said. |
| He said the investigation would focus on the breakdown in communications between ground and air forces. | He said the investigation would focus on the breakdown in communications between ground and air forces. |
| He added that there is no single system that coordinates the air-to-ground cover technologies used by all the nations that make up the Nato force in Afghanistan. | He added that there is no single system that coordinates the air-to-ground cover technologies used by all the nations that make up the Nato force in Afghanistan. |
| The only other case of British service personnel being killed by friendly fire involving American military personnel in Afghanistan is still under investigation. | The only other case of British service personnel being killed by friendly fire involving American military personnel in Afghanistan is still under investigation. |
| Royal Anglian fatalities | Royal Anglian fatalities |
| An inquiry was launched in December 2006 into the death of marine Jonathan Wigley, 21, killed during an intense battle in Helmand province. | An inquiry was launched in December 2006 into the death of marine Jonathan Wigley, 21, killed during an intense battle in Helmand province. |
| In February, Mr Browne told MPs that since 1990, 12 UK service personnel had been killed in friendly fire incidents involving American military personnel in Iraq. | In February, Mr Browne told MPs that since 1990, 12 UK service personnel had been killed in friendly fire incidents involving American military personnel in Iraq. |
| The three deaths on Thursday mean the total number of UK troops killed while on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 has risen to 73. Fifty have been killed in action. | The three deaths on Thursday mean the total number of UK troops killed while on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 has risen to 73. Fifty have been killed in action. |
| The Royal Anglians have been one of the regiments hardest hit by the fighting in Afghanistan. | The Royal Anglians have been one of the regiments hardest hit by the fighting in Afghanistan. |
| Nine soldiers members of the regiment have been killed. It is one of the worst casualty rates since Operation Herrick, the campaign in Afghanistan, began in 2001. | Nine soldiers members of the regiment have been killed. It is one of the worst casualty rates since Operation Herrick, the campaign in Afghanistan, began in 2001. |
| On 11 August the regiment's Captain David Hicks was killed during an attack by the Taleban on his patrol base northeast of Sangin in Helmand province. | On 11 August the regiment's Captain David Hicks was killed during an attack by the Taleban on his patrol base northeast of Sangin in Helmand province. |
| The regiment recruits mainly from the counties of Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. | The regiment recruits mainly from the counties of Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. |