By Shadi Khan Saif
KABUL, Afghanistan
An airstrike by U.S. forces mistakenly killed three Afghan policemen in the east of the country, officials said Saturday.
U.S. airplanes escorting an aid convoy fired rockets at an Afghan police station in Parwan province after mistaking it for a Taliban camp, according to provincial governor's spokesman, Wahid Sediqi.
"If the U.S. officials had acted in coordination with Afghan authorities, such an incident would not have occurred," he said.
U.S. officials in the country have yet to comment on the attack.
The U.S.-led airstrikes in Afghanistan remain among the most contentious issues between Kabul and Washington, with outgoing Afghan President Hamid Karzai refusing to sign an extensive defense agreement with the United States, citing Afghan casualties from foreign airstrikes.
Earlier in the month, Afghan officials said another U.S. airstrike killed four civilians, including two women, in western Herat province. The attack prompted a harsh rebuke from Karzai.
U.S. troops are preparing to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of this year in response to Kabul's reluctance to sign the deal.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force has confirmed there was an airstrike in Parwan province on Friday.
NATO’s joint command press desk said the incident was under investigation.
"Once we gather the facts of exactly what happened and the investigation is complete, we can provide more details," it said.
The press desk said international forces would continue to work with Afghan partners to accomplish the mission at hand.
"Together, we will ensure the safety of all service members and civilians in Afghanistan as we transfer overall control of security to the Afghan National Security Forces," the statement said.
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