U.S. special forces mistook a group of Afghan allies for al Qaeda fighters and opened fire, killing three of them, in the latest friendly-fire mishap of the Afghan war. The shooting took place on Friday in the region in the east of the country where U.S. and British troops are hunting for remnants of the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters.

U.S. army spokesman Colonel Roger King said late on Friday U.S. special forces accompanied by Afghan military officials were not aware of the presence of Afghan allies in a compound where al Qaeda and Taliban leaders were believed to be meeting.

"Initial review efforts have revealed that the men in the compound were part of another Afghan element from another district in Afghanistan...allied with the interim authority, at least that's what they purport to be," King said.

Two Afghans wounded in the shooting in Khomar Kalay village near the city of Gardez, capital of Paktia province, were being treated at an allied hospital, he said.

King said there was a report that one of the men in the armed group had shouted they were there to kill al Qaeda, which apparently had been ignored.

He said an investigation of the shooting was underway and steps would be taken to prevent such incidents happening again.

"The review of this action continues and efforts will be made to place coordination measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future," he said.

U.S. forces launched an offensive in Afghanistan in October to flush out Osama bin Laden, leader of the al Qaeda network and prime suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, and punish his Taliban protectors.

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Special forces opened fire during a night-time raid on a compound after believing themselves in danger, said Lieutenant Frank Merriman, a spokesman for US Central Command. One soldier had seen an unidentified fighter point a rocket-propelled grenade in his unit's direction and his commander gave the order to fire, the spokesman said.