National Security

Miscommunication blamed for deadly US mistake

By Robert Burns
Published September 5, 2014 3:22pm ET
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Miscommunication blamed for deadly US mistake
The first page of the report released by U.S. Central Command Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014, on the friendly fire incident in Afghanistan in June is photographed in Washington on Sept. 4, 2014. Avoidable miscommunication between U.S. air and ground forces led to a incident that killed five U.S. soldiers and one Afghan. The report cited a collective failure by soldiers, commanders and air crew members to execute the fundamentals of the mission. As a result, the five Americans and one Afghan were mistaken for the enemy and were attacked with two laser-guided bombs from a B-1 bomber. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick) | Jon Elswick

WASHINGTON (AP) — Avoidable miscommunication between U.S. air and ground forces led to a “friendly fire” incident in Afghanistan that killed five U.S. soldiers and one Afghan in June, according to a military investigation report.

The incident was one of the deadliest friendly fire episodes of the war, which began 13 years ago next month.

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Afghanistan Nation