Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) - Three British soldiers were killed in southern Afghanistan when a U.S. aircraft supporting them in a battle against the Taliban dropped a bomb, the Ministry of Defense said on Friday.

The incident on Thursday takes the number of British deaths in Afghanistan since the Taliban was toppled in 2001 to 73.

Two other soldiers were injured.

The soldiers were on a mission to disrupt Taliban activity north west of Kajaki, in the lawless Helmand province.

“Their patrol was attacked by Taliban insurgents and during the intense engagement that ensued, close air support was called in from two U.S. F15 aircraft to repel the enemy,” the ministry said in a statement.

“A single bomb was dropped and it is believed the explosion killed all three soldiers, who were declared dead at the scene.”

An investigation into the incident has begun, the ministry said.