Wire: Friendly Fire May Have Wounded 25 NATO Troops in Afghanistan

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that NATO officials in Afghanistan say 25 international troops wounded during a recent operation may have been hit by friendly fire.

NATO initially blamed "insurgent activity" for the casualties. But officials Saturday said they do not rule out the possibility the troops were mistakenly wounded during an attack by their own forces, according to a VOA News report.

The troops were wounded Friday while looking for two missing U.S. soldiers who are believed to have drowned in a river in the western province of Badghis.

The province's deputy police chief, Abdul Jabar, says the two soldiers were swept away Wednesday while trying to save supply boxes that fell into the water after being air-dropped.

(Report from newswire sources.)