MoD investigates 'friendly fire'

[Anth]

MoD investigates 'friendly fire'


Troops evacuate injured comrades after 'friendly fire' incident

The Ministry of Defence is trying to find out why an Army helicopter accidentally fired on UK paratroops in Afghanistan, wounding nine.

The Apache attack helicopter was called in by ground troops battling with Taleban fighters, and it successfully engaged the insurgents a first time.

But in a second attack, a British position was mistaken for the enemy, and three soldiers were seriously hurt.

It is the first "friendly fire" by UK air support on its own in Afghanistan.

Six of the wounded have returned to duty. Two are stable in a field hospital. One is being flown back to the UK for treatment.

The soldiers from the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment - 2 Para - were on a routine foot patrol near the British forward operating base Gibraltar in the Helmand River Valley when they encountered Taleban fighters.

They called in air support from the Army's Apache helicopter, which successfully fired on a Taleban position.

But then in the confusion of what the MoD termed a "rapidly-changing situation", it fired again on another position, which the crew believed was held by the enemy.

An investigation is now under way into the incident.

The BBC's Alistair Leithead in Kabul said the Apache was routinely relied on by ground troops to get them out of danger or finish off an engagement with insurgents.

Fast jets like Harriers or American aircraft are also used, but the Apache is heavily armed and favoured for its excellent optics.

Considering the reliance ground troops have on them, Alistair Leithead said, it was "almost surprising this doesn't happen more often in the confusion of battle".

Charles Heyman, director of defence suppliers Armed Forces said there was technology to differentiate between friend and foe.

However, he said: "It is possible that the Taleban and the British soldiers were very, very close together."

"When you've got eyeball to eyeball, the technology is not going to help you as much as you hoped."

The incident is the first reported occurrence in Afghanistan of "friendly fire" involving only UK troops, although allied forces have previously hit each other's troops during the conflict.

In August last year, three soldiers from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment were killed when US fighter planes dropped a 500lb (225kg) bomb on them.

In December 2006, marine Jonathan Wigley died in an apparent attack by the US in Helmand province.

In April 2002, an American F-16 fighter jet dropped a laser-guided 500lb (225kg) bomb near Kandahar, accidentally killing four Canadian soldiers and injuring eight others.

BBC News Link

====================

At least it was only cannon fire and not a bomb that went their way, and I'm glad they all got out alive.

MOD statement to follow.

[Anth]

The Ministry of Defence has released a statement today, 10 July 2008, concerning an incident in southern Afghanistan in which UK personnel were wounded.

The statement reads as follows:

"On the 9th of July at 12:27hrs a routine British patrol requested fire support from a British Apache helicopter gunship when they encountered enemy forces near Forward Operating Base (FOB) Gibraltar.

"After successfully engaging one enemy position, the Apache fired upon another position which the crew believed to be held by enemy forces.

"However, in the confusion of a rapidly changing situation and in what is a challenging environment, it would appear that friendly forces were mistaken for the enemy and as a result three members of the patrol were seriously wounded and six more were classified as walking wounded.

"The wounded personnel were moved by helicopter to Camp Bastion medical facilities. Six have now been discharged and returned to service. Three remain in medical care. Next of Kin have been informed.

"An investigation is underway into how the incident occurred and it would be inappropriate to comment until that investigation is complete."

MOD News Link