Five US troops killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan

Five United States servicemen were killed in a friendly-fire incident on Monday in southern Afghanistan.

CNN reported that officials said the service members were killed in Zabul province's Arghandab district when a coalition jet, called in to help ward off an attack, mistakenly bombed them.

"The five killed were American soldiers who just returned from an operation when they were hit,” said local police chief Ghulam Sakhi Roghlewanai. "ISAF troops were returning to their bases after an operation when they were ambushed by the insurgents. The air strike mistakenly hit their own forces and killed the soldiers."

One Afghan soldier was also killed.

The case is one of the most serious involving coalition on coalition friendly fire during the nearly 14-year Afghan war.

Reuters noted that the clash with insurgents comes just days before a run-off round in the country's presidential election. Security has now been ramped up ahead of Saturday's vote to replace President Hamid Karzai.

The Pentagon said in a statement that thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen.

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