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Friendly fire probe focusing on actions of U.S. pilots

Pilots of F-16s seemed unaware of Canadian troops

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A joint U.S.-Canadian investigation of Thursday's friendly fire accident in Afghanistan is focusing on why two U.S. pilots appeared to be unaware that a Canadian training exercise was being conducted in a restricted area south of Kandahar, Pentagon officials said Friday.

Four Canadian soldiers were killed and another eight were wounded in the incident when one of the U.S. pilots dropped a 500-pound bomb as the Canadians conducted a training mission near Kandahar.

The sources said the Air National Guard pilots of two F-16s originally requested permission to strafe the area with 20-mm guns, after apparently mistaking the live-fire exercise as hostile ground fire.

The request to respond with guns instead of bombs would seem to indicate the pilots were unaware of an 11,000-foot altitude restriction that had been placed over the exercise area, since strafing would require the F-16 to descend to below that level.

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According to the latest information provided by Pentagon officials, the two U.S. F-16s from Kuwait were on a routine patrol when they reported they were under fire from the ground.

One of the pilots requested permission to respond with fire from its 20 mm guns, but the request was denied. The pilots then were granted permission to "mark" the target.

As the planes were turning to mark the target, one F-16 concluded the other was directly threatened by the ground fire, and made a second request to strafe.

That request was also denied, sources said, but the second F-16 dropped a GBU-12 500-pound bomb to protect the first plane, reporting a "direct hit."

Under the rules of engagement, U.S. pilots are permitted to take action without prior clearance if they are acting in self-defense.

None of the pilots' actions indicated they were aware they were in a "Restricted Operating Zone," Pentagon officials said.

The officials could not say if the pilots were talking to an airborne command plane or to a command center on the ground.

Nor could they say if the pilots were given any reason when their request to respond was denied.

ON Thursday, Canadian officials said their troops were practicing "surface-to-surface firing, not ground-to-air."

The Associated Press reported from Kandahar that Afghan fighters manning a checkpoint near the accident site reported seeing eight or 10 red streaks heading skyward at a 45-degree angle, which they assumed to be tracer bullets from the exercise.

While the pilots were from an Air National Guard unit, Air Force officials insisted that should not have been a factor, because Guard pilots get the same training as active duty pilots.

'How has this happened?'

In a statement Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he had discussed the incident with Canadian Defense Minister Art Eggleton and "assured him that Gen. Tommy Franks and his Central Command staff will work closely with the Canadian representatives in Tampa to investigate the causes of this tragic accident."

At a news conference in Ottawa, Canadian chief of staff Gen. Ray Henault said details of the incident remained to be determined. "But certainly, my understanding is that there was no hostile activity in the area that would have created this incident," he said.

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien offered a statement of regret to the House of Commons on Thursday.

"If words cannot console this loss, they also cannot fully express the pride that all Canadians have felt on the exemplary way (Canadian forces) have carried out their duty," Chretien said. "There are so many questions. ... How has this happened? I want to assure the families and the people of Canada that these questions will be answered."

The Canadian soldiers were part of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group. They have been in Afghanistan since late January as part of Operation Apollo, Canada's military commitment to the campaign against terrorism, according to the Canadian Defense Ministry.

In a written statement, President Bush said he had expressed his "deepest sorrow and sympathy" to Chretien.

"Canada's fallen heroes and their families are in our hearts and prayers," the statement said. "Canada is a vital member of the coalition against terrorism and hatred. It is shouldering a great burden and making tremendous sacrifices to make the world a safer place for all people."

Canadians were conducting training exercise

The bombing happened at about 1:55 a.m. in Afghanistan. The Canadian soldiers were conducting a live-fire training exercise in an area about nine miles (14 kilometers) south of the Kandahar airfield, Canadian officials said.

The soldiers were firing at inert targets in a "recognized training area," according to Maj. Jamie Robertson, a spokesman for the Canadian Joint Task Force. Henault said the American fighter pilot could not visually identify the troops because the exercise took place in the middle of the night.

"Without a doubt, there was a misidentification of the Canadians and what they were doing on the ground and that was obviously the cause of this accident," Henault said.

Six Canadian soldiers wounded in the incident are being treated at the U.S. medical facility at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Canadian officials said. Two others who suffered minor injuries remained in Kandahar.

"The immediate response of this battle group has been outstanding, and their professionalism has been unparalleled," Henault said. "Every soldier in the theater of operations is a credit to the Canadian forces and certainly a symbol of strength in this country."

U.S. forces in the region echoed these sentiments.

"This loss is shared by our entire task force. Our hearts ache with yours as we continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism," said Col. Frank Wiercinski, a U.S. Army spokesman in Afghanistan. "The cost of this fight has been great, but our commitment remains greater."

Third U.S. 'friendly fire' incident in Afghanistan

The incident marks the third time that U.S. forces have been involved in friendly fire accidents during the conflict in Afghanistan.

Friendly fire incidents late last year left three Americans and five Afghan fighters dead and more than 40 people injured -- including slight injuries to Hamid Karzai, who now heads Afghanistan's interim government.

All eight deaths came in a December 5 incident north of Kandahar. In that incident, and another nine days earlier near Mazar-e Sharif, a B-52 bomber dropped a 2,000-pound (980-kilogram) guided bomb on positions manned by ground troops who were directing air strikes against nearby Taliban targets.

In both those accidents, preliminary findings indicate that confused communications between the ground and air crews resulted in the bombs being programmed to hit friendly ground troops.

-- CNN Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre contributed to this report.