MoD dispatches team to probe ‘misguided’ Helmand airstrike

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Defense (MoD) on Monday notified about dispatching a team for scrutiny of the mistaken airstrike in southern Helmand province that killed nine Afghan security personnel.

Gen. Dawlat Waziri, the MoD spokesman, during a press conference here said a security checkpoint in the Adam Khan area of Greshk district came under mistaken attack late on Sunday afternoon by the Afghan Air Force (AAF) gunship.

Among the victims, eight were Afghan National Police (ANP) personnel and the ninth one was NDS member, he said, adding another five NDS personnel and as many ANP were injured in the airstrike.

He said a task team at the head of deputy chief of staff, Abdul Wahab Pilot, had been assigned with investigating the incident. 

“The whole process of the air raid will be examined and then it will be determined whether the pilot mistakenly or intentionally carried out the attack or it happened due to wrong tip-off.”

However, earlier today Abdul Qadeer Bahadarzai, deputy spokesman for the 215th Maiwand Military Corps, had said the airstrike was conducted by AAF on the basis of flawed intelligence from the NDS.

There has been so far no word from NDS in this regard.

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