Anger as NATO airstrike kills 4 Afghan soldiers

KABUL — A joint U.S.-Afghan force called in an airstrike on what turned out to be an Afghan army post after taking fire from there before dawn Saturday, killing four Afghan soldiers and prompting an angry demand for punishment from the country's defense ministry.

Both NATO and Afghan authorities described the clash around a snow-covered outpost in Wardak province southwest of Kabul as a case of mistaken identity. NATO called the attack "unfortunate" and promised a full investigation.

Nevertheless, the deadly strike threatens to strain relations between NATO and the Afghan government at a time when both sides are calling for closer partnership in the fight against the Taliban. The fighting came on the heels of several cases of bloodshed between Afghans and Americans in recent weeks.

NATO and Afghan officials said an Afghan interpreter angry over "job issues" shot and killed two U.S. soldiers Friday before he was gunned down by an American service member in the same district as the airstrike. NATO officials said the two attacks appeared unrelated.

Saturday's fighting erupted about 3 a.m. when a group of U.S. Special Forces and Afghan commandos approached a remote Afghan army outpost that was set up about 18 months ago to guard the main highway between Kabul and Kandahar.

NATO said the Afghan soldiers believed the unit was the Taliban and started shooting.

The joint force returned fire and called in the airstrike, which killed the four Afghan soldiers, NATO and the Afghan Defense Ministry said. Seven Afghan soldiers at the checkpoint were wounded, provincial spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said.

"Besides expressing heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyrs, the Afghan Defense Ministry is condemning this incident," an Afghan statement said. "After the investigation is completed, the Defense Ministry wants to bring those responsible to justice."

Associated Press Television News video of the aftermath showed snow around the fortified compound blackened by the airstrike. American armored vehicles stood guard on the highway, about a half mile (a kilometer) from the hilltop outpost, while a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter roamed the skies overhead.

"I am from this area, and I witnessed the entire incident myself," said local resident Khan Mohammed. "Planes arrived and bombed the Afghan National Army checkpoint. They hit some of the houses around the area with mortars."