'Friendly fire' deaths have dented troops' moral
By Sean Rayment in Afghanistan, Sunday Telegraph
Afghanistan
The commander of British troops in Helmand has spoken of his "absolute devastation" over the deaths of three of his soldiers, killed by American forces in a "friendly fire" incident.
Brigadier John Lorimer described the botched bombing by an American F-15 fighter jet as a tragedy that left him "mortified". He admitted that it had dented morale among troops in southern Afghanistan.
The last member of the regiment to die had been on August 11, when Captain David Hicks was killed during an attack on his patrol base, north-east of Sangin, in Helmand province.
Thursday's "friendly fire" incident occurred when a patrol of 60 soldiers from the Royal Anglians set off from their base in Kajaki, northern Helmand, to hunt Taliban fighters known to be operating in the area.
As the patrol moved through farmland it was ambushed by Taliban. The soldiers from B Company - who after months of frontline action are now hardened fighters - returned fire immediately and called for close air support. Two F-15 combat jets, which were already airborne and conducting a routine combat air patrol, flew to Kajaki to assist the British troops.
Forward air controllers sent the enemy co-ordinates to one of the pilots and a 500lb bomb was dropped. Instead of hitting the enemy, it landed among the British troops, killing three men instantly and leaving two others wounded, one of whom is described as being very seriously injured.
The deaths brought to 73 the number of British fatalities in Afghanistan since 2001.
Last night, however, Brig Lorimer was adamant that the incident would not affect relations with the United States military. He said he "trusted implicitly" the American pilots who fly on "close air support" missions and who have saved hundreds of British lives.
"This incident was all the more devastating because we have been using US aircraft for the last five months on a regular basis and their support has been fantastic and on many occasions my soldiers' lives have been saved by US aircraft dropping bombs," he said. "We are here to fight cunning and cruel enemy and that is what we are doing."
Brig Lorimer disclosed that he had already visited the colleagues of those killed and that all had accepted it was a tragic accident.
"I was up at Kajaki this morning and it was really quite humbling," he said. "Yes, they had been affected by this incident, their morale had been dented, albeit temporarily so, but they were thoroughly determined to carry on with job. I went out on patrol with them and they were as professional as ever and for me, as a commander, I could not ask for more."
Brig Lorimer denied the suggestion that his men were not properly equipped to fight the Taliban or that a sophisticated combat identification system would have made a difference.
He said: "I am happy with the equipment and procedures we have in place. It will be up to the investigation to find out whether all of the equipment and procedures that were in place and were being used at the time were correct. As far as I am concerned, we will continue using close air support in the same way. We used it again last night and US aircraft were involved."
British deaths by US friendly fire
February 1991: Nine soldiers from Royal Regiment of Fusiliers killed when US A10 "tank-buster" attacks stationary tank
April 1994: Two Army officers among 26 Nato delegates killed in Iraq when American F-15s shoot down US Blackhawk helicopter
March 2003: Lance-Corporal Matty Hull dies in Iraq after American A10 attacks his armoured vehicle
March 2003: RAF Tornado crew Flight Lieutenant David Williams and Flight Lieutenant Kevin Main killed by US Patriot missile battery near Iraq-Kuwait border after being mistaken for Iraqi missile
December 2006: MoD investigation launched amid reports that Royal Marine Jonathan Wigley was hit by Allied fire in Helmand
August 2007: Three soldiers from 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment killed in Helmand by bomb dropped by American F15s
