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decee
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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 t he 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.
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.
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 t he 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.
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.