Two Afghans hired by a foreign firm were killed by "friendly fire" from NATO occupation forces.

NATO occupation forces killed two Afghans hired by a Singapore-based engineering firm last week in Afghanistan’s southern province of Helmand, the company said on Monday adding that the employees were killed by “friendly fire”.

A third Afghan employee of the Central Asia Development Group (CADG) was seriously injured in the incident on February 3, CADG spokesman Matthew Goldthwaite said in an email to AFP.

"On February 3, 2011, a CADG vehicle, carrying four of CADG's Afghan national staff were caught in kinetic activity between ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) forces and insurgent forces on Highway 1 near Spin Masjid Bazaar, near Gereshk in Helmand Province," he said.
"As a result of this exchange, two of the passengers were killed, one passenger was seriously wounded (and) the fourth passenger was unharmed," added Goldthwaite.

"CADG was informed that ISAF have accepted responsibility for this incident... We believe it's friendly fire."

The wounded Afghan was being treated at the British-run Camp Bastion for a gunshot wound, he said.