German friendly fire kills 6 Afghan soldiers

[Robb]

Source: AP

KABUL — German soldiers traveling to the scene of a deadly firefight with Taliban insurgents accidentally killed six Afghan troops, the Afghan military said Saturday. Three Germans died in the firefight with the militants.

The friendly fire incident Friday took place in northern Kunduz province, where German forces were sharply criticized last September when they ordered an airstrike on two tanker trucks that had been captured by the Taliban. Up to 142 people died, many of them civilians.

The German central command confirmed Friday's incident, but put the number of Afghan troop casualties at five. The deaths occurred amid heavy fighting between German troops and militants near Kunduz city.

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The commander of Afghan forces in northern Afghanistan, Gen. Murad Ani, said the two vehicles attacked had been returning to base after resupplying army and police units dispatched at the request of the Germans. One was an armored vehicle and both were clearly marked, said Ani, who visited the scene of the shooting Saturday morning along with officials from the police and intelligence services.

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German soldiers are http://www.todayonline.com/BreakingNews/EDC100402-0000207/Defense-official--3-German-soldiers-killed-in-heavy-fighting-in-Afghanistan">a touch on edge in Kunduz at the moment.