NATO air attack kills Afghan civilians
Source: Agencies |
February 23, 2010, Tuesday
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A NATO air strike killed at least 33 civilians in central Afghanistan, the country's Cabinet said yesterday.
It is the third time a mistaken coalition strike has killed noncombatants since the start of an offensive aimed at winning over the population.
The top NATO commander, General Stanley McChrystal of the United States, has apologized to Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
The Afghanistan Council of Ministers strongly condemned the air strike on Sunday in Uruzgan Province, calling it "unjustifiable."
Initial reports indicated that NATO planes fired at a convoy of three vehicles, killing at least 33 people, including four women and a child, and injuring 12 others.
The council urged NATO to "closely coordinate and exercise maximum care before conducting any military operation" to avoid further civilian casualties.
NATO confirmed that its planes fired on what it believed was a group of insurgents on their way to attack a joint NATO-Afghan patrol.
The injured were transported to medical facilities, it said.
Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary earlier said the air strike hit three minibuses traveling on a major road near Uruzgan's border with central Day Kundi Province. There were 42 people in the vehicles, all civilians, he said.
"We are extremely saddened by the tragic loss of innocent lives," McChrystal said. "I have made it clear to our forces that we are here to protect the Afghan people and inadvertently killing or injuring civilians undermines their trust and confidence in our mission. We will redouble our effort to regain that trust."
On Saturday, Karzai admonished NATO troops for not doing enough to protect civilian lives. During a speech at the opening session of the Afghan parliament, Karzai called for extra caution on the part of NATO.
"We need to reach the point where there are no civilian casualties," Karzai said. "Our effort and our criticism will continue until we reach that goal."
The Sunday NATO attack was not related to the ongoing offensive around the Helmand province town of Marjah, where US and Afghan forces have been battling Taliban insurgents since February 13.
At least 16 civilians have been killed so far during the offensive, NATO said. They include nearly a dozen people killed when two NATO rockets struck a house on the outskirts of Marjah on the second day of the offensive.
Last Thursday, an air strike in northern Kunduz province missed targeted insurgents and killed seven policemen.
A total of 2,412 Afghan civilians were killed last year, the highest number in any year of the eight-year war, according to a UN report.
It is the third time a mistaken coalition strike has killed noncombatants since the start of an offensive aimed at winning over the population.
The top NATO commander, General Stanley McChrystal of the United States, has apologized to Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
The Afghanistan Council of Ministers strongly condemned the air strike on Sunday in Uruzgan Province, calling it "unjustifiable."
Initial reports indicated that NATO planes fired at a convoy of three vehicles, killing at least 33 people, including four women and a child, and injuring 12 others.
The council urged NATO to "closely coordinate and exercise maximum care before conducting any military operation" to avoid further civilian casualties.
NATO confirmed that its planes fired on what it believed was a group of insurgents on their way to attack a joint NATO-Afghan patrol.
The injured were transported to medical facilities, it said.
Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary earlier said the air strike hit three minibuses traveling on a major road near Uruzgan's border with central Day Kundi Province. There were 42 people in the vehicles, all civilians, he said.
"We are extremely saddened by the tragic loss of innocent lives," McChrystal said. "I have made it clear to our forces that we are here to protect the Afghan people and inadvertently killing or injuring civilians undermines their trust and confidence in our mission. We will redouble our effort to regain that trust."
On Saturday, Karzai admonished NATO troops for not doing enough to protect civilian lives. During a speech at the opening session of the Afghan parliament, Karzai called for extra caution on the part of NATO.
"We need to reach the point where there are no civilian casualties," Karzai said. "Our effort and our criticism will continue until we reach that goal."
The Sunday NATO attack was not related to the ongoing offensive around the Helmand province town of Marjah, where US and Afghan forces have been battling Taliban insurgents since February 13.
At least 16 civilians have been killed so far during the offensive, NATO said. They include nearly a dozen people killed when two NATO rockets struck a house on the outskirts of Marjah on the second day of the offensive.
Last Thursday, an air strike in northern Kunduz province missed targeted insurgents and killed seven policemen.
A total of 2,412 Afghan civilians were killed last year, the highest number in any year of the eight-year war, according to a UN report.
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