The US-led coalition force in Afghanistan said Sunday it killed two police officers in friendly fire during an operation targeting Taliban insurgents northeast of the capital Kabul.

The incident occurred when Afghan police fired on troops conducting an operation to “disrupt Taliban senior leadership and suicide attack networks” late Friday, the force said in a statement.

“Two Afghan National Policemen were killed when they engaged a combined Afghan and Coalition Force patrol in Kapisa province late Friday night,” it said.

The statement said troops were aware there was a police checkpoint nearby and tried to identify themselves as a friendly force when they came under fire.

“Despite these efforts, which included having an interpreter and Afghan SOF engage the individuals in Pashtu, the ANP regrettably were undeterred and fired on the patrol,” added the statement.

US forces spokesman in Afghanistan Colonel Greg Julian expressed regret for the incident.

“I am truly saddened by this loss and wish to express my regrets to the families of the policemen killed in this incident,” he said.

There have been many incidences of NATO-led International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) and US-led troops accidentally killing Afghan forces and civilians.

On December 10, US forces targeting a Taliban hideout bombed an Afghan police post in southern Afghanistan, killing six policemen and one civilian.