Denmark: Danes in Afghanistan were killed by British friendly fire

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Two Danish soldiers were accidentally killed by British friendly fire during an operation in September against Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan, the Danish army said Tuesday. The soldiers were killed Sept. 26 in the Upper Geresk Valley of Helmand province during an operation that involved another unit under NATO's International Security Assistance Force. A third Danish soldier was slightly injured. Peter Otken, the head of Denmark's military prosecutors, said an investigation had revealed that the British forces, under whom the Danish unit served, fired missiles at what they thought were Taliban positions. "Private Thorbjoern Ole Reese and Private Mikkel Keil Soerensen were killed as a result of strikes by British soldiers which by a tragic mistake were directed towards the compound where the Danish soldiers were in position," Otken said in a statement.