U.S. airstrike kills 12 Afghan police officers

A U.S. airstrike killed 12 Afghan National Police officers mistaken for Taliban fighters in Helmand province. Pentagon officials confirmed the errant airstrike, which happened Friday, and offered condolences to the officers’ families. Two other officers suffered injuries. Afghan forces are fighting to retake areas of Helmand now under Taliban control. A government official said the police officers, working with army soldiers, had just regained control of a Taliban post when the air strike happened. They were not in uniform, which might have contributed to confusion about whether they were insurgents or government forces, Helmand Gov. Hayatullah Hayat said. NATO and U.S. troops are working with Afghan troops in the area.