The Ministry of Defense (MoD) on Monday announced that it has launched an investigation into the bombing of Afghan troops by an Afghan Air Force helicopter in Helmand province. 

The incident, which happened on Sunday in Greshk district, killed nine Afghan security personnel. 

“The incident will be investigated and the details of the investigation will be shared, anyone who is found guilty will be punished; the task team has gone to the area today (Monday),” said MoD spokesman Dawlat Waziri.

The helicopter reportedly missed its target and instead bombed the ANSF, killing nine soldiers and wounding ten others.  

The airstrike was carried out by an MD 130 helicopter on Sunday afternoon around 4pm local time. 

According to the MoD, eight of the victims were National Directorate of Security (NDS) personnel and the ninth was an Afghan Local Police (ALP) officer. 

Ten NDS and ALP officers were wounded in the raid. 

According to local reports, one of the NDS’s key officers, Tor Jan, was among those killed in the airstrike.

A task team under the leadership of deputy chief of army staff has been tasked to investigate the incident. 

MPs have said the incident was a crime. They called on security officials to improve communication between security forces in order to avoid similar incidents in future. 

“This would have serious implications, because the security forces are also killed during battles with the Taliban and also as a result of false information,” said deputy head of Helmand provincial council Abdul Majid Akhundzada.

“This incident is not only a mistake but a crime, we demand an end to this,” said MP Abdul Rauf Enami.

Back in July, at least 16 Afghan National Police (ANP) force members were mistakenly killed in a US forces airstrike in the same district - Greshk district in Helmand province.