An errant U.S. airstrike confirmed by the Pentagon killed 12 Afghan National Police officers and wounded two others, as another 11 police were killed and six wounded in clashes with the Taliban, Afghan officials said Saturday. The United States in a statement confirmed that the airstrike on the Security Forces compound occurred during a U.S.-supported operation against Taliban insurgents in the area. While much of Helmand province is under the control of Taliban, Afghan national security forces have been waging fierce battles to retake territory. Among the Taliban fighters killed in fighting in Helmand's Gereshk district was Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhunzada's 25-year-old son Hafiz Abdur Rahman Khalid, according to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. In western Farah province, a ferocious gun battle between the Afghan army and Taliban insurgents left six Afghan soldiers dead and 12 Taliban killed, said Mohammad Naser Mehri, spokesman for the provincial governor.

Source: CBC News July 22, 2017 19:18 UTC