KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A senior police official in southern Afghanistan is providing some details of an apparent friendly-fire airstrike that killed five U.S. troops.

The official says U.S. and coalition troops had been taking part in a joint operation yesterday with Afghan forces. Afterward, the troops came under attack from the Taliban, and called in air support.

He says the airstrike killed an Afghan soldier in addition to the five Americans.

A Pentagon spokesman says in a statement that investigators “are looking into the likelihood that friendly fire was the cause.”

With just months remaining before U.S. combat troops leave Afghanistan, this was one of the worst friendly-fire incidents involving U.S. and coalition troops since the start of the nearly 14-year war.

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162-w-35-(Sagar Meghani (SAH’-gur meh-GAH’-nee), AP national security correspondent, with Stephen Biddle, George Washington University professor who has advised U.S. commanders in Afghanistan)–Five American troops are dead in Afghanistan after what may have been a tragic mistake. AP National Security Correspondent Sagar Meghani reports from the Pentagon. (10 Jun 2014)

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158-a-11-(Stephen Biddle, George Washington University professor who has advised U.S. commanders in Afghanistan, in AP interview)-“to the enemy”-Stephen Biddle, a George Washington University professor who has advised U.S. commanders in Afghanistan, says friendly fire has become a bigger problem as wars are waged from a distance with massive bombs. (10 Jun 2014)

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