Helmand: Soldier killed, 29 hurt in suspected airstrike

LASHKARGAH (Pajhwok): A suspected US airstrike killed one Afghan soldier and injured 29 others including police in the Nad Ali district of southern Helmand province, sources said on Monday.

A government source in Helmand told Pajhwok that American forces carried out the airstrike in the limits of Nad Ali district on Monday afternoon.

He said the Afghan forces had suffered casualties in the airstrike, but exact figures were not immediately known.

But another source said a missile fired from an unknown location hit the Afghan forces and caused them casualties.

However, a source in the Emergency hospital in Lashkargah, the provincial capital, confirmed receiving one dead body of an Afghan National Army soldier and 29 injured personnel including police.

He said the injured were in stable condition.

The US and NATO have so far said nothing about the suspected friendly airstrike.

The spokesman for the Helmand governor, Omar Zwak, also confirmed the incident but provided no details. He said a delegation had been sent to the area for investigation.

Nad Ali is one of the insecure districts of Helmand province where security forces have launched clearing operations against the Taliban.

ma/nh

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