Five soldiers killed by "friendly fire" bomb drop in Afghanistan

'Friendly fire' kills 5 American service members in Afghanistan
CNN
By Ed Payne and Masoud Popalzai
June 10, 2014

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
More than 2,300 U.S. troops have died in Afghanistan
The incident also killed an Afghan soldier
A U.S. defense department spokesman says he has no comment
In April, 5 British service members were killed in a chopper crash

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Five American service members were killed in southern Afghanistan, when a coalition jet called in to help ward off a Taliban attack mistakenly bombed them, an Afghan official said Tuesday.

The five were killed along with an Afghan soldier in Zabul province, said the province's Police Chief Ghulam Sakhi Roghliwanai.

According to NATO, the troops were conducting a security operation. Such operations have been stepped up ahead of the Afghanistan's presidential runoff election, which will take place on Saturday.

The service members' unit came in contact with enemy forces. That's when the casualties occurred, the NATO statement said -- but then it added this line: "Tragically, there is the possibility that fratricide may have been involved."
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UPDATE
Pvt. Aaron Toppen, of Mokena, was one of five U.S. troops killed Monday during a security operation in southern Afghanistan, his sister said.