US fire kills Afghan dad and two sons

AN Afghan father and his two young children were killed yesterday when US troops opened fire after their convoy hit a roadside bomb, authorities said.

The civilian and his sons, aged seven and 10, died near their home in the eastern province of Nangarhar, where American forces are conducting joint operations against militants from the Islamic State group.

Claims of civilian casualties remain a contentious issue in the war against insurgents in Afghanistan, as President Donald Trump mulls sending more troops into the lengthy conflict.

“A roadside bomb hit a foreign forces convoy in Ghani Khail district,” provincial spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said.

“The troops opened fire and killed three civilians, a father and his two sons.”

The account was confirmed by the district police chief, Sekandar Safi.

The US military confirmed they opened fire in self-defence, but said they had not received any official allegations of civilian casualties so far.

“We take civilian casualties very seriously and all allegations are thoroughly investigated,” the military said.

“The incident is under investigation and information will be released as appropriate.”

Nangarhar is a stronghold of the Islamic State and Afghan forces, backed by US troops, have been battling for months to drive them out.

On Saturday, three American soldiers were killed and one wounded when an Afghan commando opened fire in Nangarhar’s Achin district, in an attack claimed by the Taliban.

In April, the US military dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb ever used in combat on a complex of caves in Achin used by IS fighters.

The deployment of the so-called Mother of All Bombs killed dozens of jihadists, but fighting has continued unabated.