The airstrike incident, which occurred on August 20 in Jowzjan province, began when insurgents shot at Afghan security forces, and the troops asked for air support.

An air weapons team consisting of two helicopters launched a hellfire missile and fired 30 mm rounds "toward an identified firing position."

The service members later found the three dead police and other wounded officers. ISAF dispatched a team to the region to investigate.

In the other incident, an improvised explosive device attack killed five Afghan civilians and wounded two other people on August 21. One of those killed was a leader of the Arkabi, a local tribal militia.

In other violence, three NATO service members died in southern Afghanistan on August 21, ISAF said. Two died in insurgent attacks and another one was killed by an improvised explosive device.