Photo credit: Senior Airman Brian Ferguson
Sixteen Afghan officers have been killed in a so-called ‘friendly fire’ incident in the Helmand province in Afghanistan.
The men died when US-led assets targeted a group which may have been mistaken for Taliban fighters. The men were not wearing their uniforms at the time, which may have led to the fatal error.
Fighting in the Helmand region has intensified in recent weeks. The US has recently conducted over 50 bombing raids against the Taliban in an effort to dislodge the group from the opium-rich region.
President Trump has announced his intention to send more troops into Afghanistan, as part as a new strategy for the region.