Tensions rise after three British soldiers killed in US airstrike

Three British soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan in a "friendly fire" attack by American aircraft while involved in a clash with Taliban fighters.

The deaths brought the number of British forces killed in action in the country to 50, and came at the end of a week which had exposed rifts between American and British forces.

The fatal incident, a "blue on blue" in military terms, took place at Kajaki in Helmand province, where British troops are trying to create a safety zone around a dam which would enable an American company to start repair work.

A British patrol called in air strikes after coming under fire from the Taliban and were then bombed by mistake by American F-15 aircraft which came in support. The three soldiers died at the scene, while two others who were injured, one described as "seriously" and the other "very seriously", were evacuated for treatment to the British base, Camp Bastion. All the casualties are from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, which has now lost nine men during its tour of duty.

Tensions between US and British forces have risen after the American General Jack Keene, an advisor to the White House, scathingly criticised British policy in Iraq. There have also been disagreements in Afghanistan after the decision by the US Nato commander in the country, General Dan McNeill, to abort agreements made by British forces with local leaders in Helmand.

Mounting Afghan anger over civilian deaths caused by US air strikes had reportedly led to senior British officers asking the Americans not to continue a military operation, separate from the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) mission, in British-controlled areas. However, British military sources stressed yesterday that the latest friendly fire deaths took place within Isaf operations and the American aircraft, part of a Nato "pool" providing air cover, were responding to British pleas for help. Both the British and US authorities will hold boards of inquiry into the deaths on Thursday.

A British military spokesman in Helmand said: "The guys were out on a routine patrol north-west of Kajaki. They came into quite an intensive fight and during that fight they called in close air support, which was provided by two US F-15 aircraft. We called in fire on to what in this case were the Taliban ... either the position was inaccurate or there was a problem with the bomb."

A spokeswoman from Isaf in Afghanistan, Lieutenant Colonel Claudia Foss, said there were procedures to minimise the possibility of friendly fire incidents and that "Isaf is committed to finding out exactly how this tragedy occurred and how similar incidents can be avoided".

The US Embassy in London said in a statement: "The United States expresses its deep condolences to the families and loved ones of the soldiers who died, and we wish those who were injured a speedy recovery. The UK soldiers were serving under Isaf, which is helping the Afghan people to build a peaceful, prosperous, and stable country."

Two British soldiers had been killed previously in Afghanistan as a result of friendly fire. One of them, Royal Marine Jonathan Wigley, 21, died in an attack by a US A-10 Tankbuster aircraft in December last year. Eight British soldiers have also been the victims of blue on blue in Iraq . They include Lance Corporal Matty Hull, 25, who died when another US A-10 fired on two armoured vehicles in March 2003.

British soldiers who survived the attack criticised the US pilot for apparently failing to recognise that their tanks were a British make, with special coalition identification aids and even a large Union flag on another machine in the five-vehicle convoy.

Members of the media and Iraqi police have also been caught in US attacks. An inquest in Britain returned a verdict of unlawful killing in the case of the ITN reporter Terry Lloyd, who was shot dead by US Marines in 2003. And in April, US forces killed three Iraqi police officers in a case of friendly fire during a raid near Ramadi in central Iraq.

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