friendly fire

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

noun

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

Example Sentences

He said that he hoped to cover-up a 2012 shooting in Afghanistan that he never reported to superiors, for fear of a military investigation that might reveal a friendly fire incident.

From Salon

Some drones are even shot down along the way by friendly fire - Ukraine’s own air defences.

From BBC

So were the bodies of three hostages killed by friendly fire in December.

From Seattle Times

Israeli tank fire killed five of Israel’s own soldiers in Gaza, a military spokesman said on Thursday, in the latest incident of so-called friendly fire since Israel invaded the enclave in October.

From New York Times

Scolaris, describing the dissenters as “friendly fire”, saw it as a short-term sacrifice for a long-term win.

From BBC