Official: US helicopter fire kills 6 Afghan militiamen who opened fire in eastern Afghanistan

Official: 6 Afghan militiamen killed in US strike

KABUL, Afghanistan — An official says six Afghan militiamen who fired on a U.S. helicopter have been killed in retaliatory fire in eastern Afghanistan.

Youqib Khan, deputy police chief of Khost province, says the local security force members in Khost province fired their weapons at the American chopper early Friday. The helicopter returned fire and killed six militiamen.

Khan says hundreds of angry villagers carried the bodies to the governor’s home to protest. Khan says they were shouting “Death to America!” and “Long live the Taliban!”

A NATO spokesman says he is checking on the alleged incident.