Three Italian soldiers died Monday, Feb 20, in a car accident in western Afghanistan, officials said.

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano issued a condolence message expressing his "deep emotion" over the news of the deaths in Herat province.

NATO forces had previously said three soldiers died in "an operation" but Napolitano's statement confirmed that they were killed in an accident.

The Italian soldiers were in a convoy going to survey a canal project in Herat's Shindand district when their vehicle crashed into a canal, said provincial police spokesman Rauf Ahmadi, The Associated Press reported.