Unconfirmed Reports Say Five American Soldiers Killed Accidentally

Unconfirmed reports say that five American soldiers have been killed accidentally by U.S. air strikes in Southern Afghanistan.

A Nato statement said: "The casualties occurred during a security operation when their unit came into contact with enemy forces. Tragically, there is the possibility that fratricide may have been involved. The incident is under investigation.

"Our thoughts are with the families of those killed during this difficult time."

If confirmed, it would be one of the most serious cases involving coalition-on-coalition fire during the nearly 14-year Afghan conflict. One of the worst came in April 2002 when four Canadian soldiers were killed when an American F-16 dropped a bomb on them near a night firing exercise in southern Kandahar.