friendly fire

American  

noun

1. Insurance. a fire deliberately set and remaining contained, as in a fireplace or boiler, from which any resulting loss cannot be claimed as an insurance liability (hostile fire ).

2. (in military combat) fire, as by artillery, by one's own forces, especially when causing damage near or casualties to one's own troops.

---

friendly fire British  

noun

1. military firing by one's own side, esp when it harms one's own personnel

---

Example Sentences

The US Central Command confirmed it was not the result of hostile or friendly fire.

From BBC

The US military previously said neither hostile nor friendly fire were involved in the loss of the plane in western Iraq on Thursday.

From BBC

They include six aboard a refuelling aircraft that crashed in Iraq, an incident US officials said was not the result of hostile or friendly fire.

From Barron's

Central Command said the incident is under investigation but was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.”

From Los Angeles Times

The incident was not due to hostile or friendly fire according to Central Command.

From Salon