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NATO Raid Kills Scores of Afghans
KANDAHAR — Just a few hours after the US army apologized for killing Afghan civilians in March, a NATO strike claimed the lives of scores of more civilians in the southern province of Helmand.
"Twenty-one civilians, including women and children, were killed," Assadullah Wafa, the provincial governor, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Wednesday, May 9.
But witnesses said that between 40 and 60 civilians were killed in the attack, according to the correspondent of the Doha-based Al-Jazeera.
Wafa said the casualties occurred when war planes pounded a village in Sangin district of Helmand province late Tuesday.
He had dispatched a delegation to the area to find out what had happened.
It was not clear if the strike was by NATO's International Security Assistance Force or the separate US forces, which both operate in the south.
There has been a steady rise in the killing of Afghan civilians, including children, who are also shot dead at checkpoints manned by foreign forces.
Last week, at least 49 civilians were killed in attacks by foreign troops in the Zerkoh Valley, about 120 kilometers south of Herat city.
Ashamed
Hours before the latest strike, a US brigade commander said he was "deeply ashamed" over the civilian killings in March.
"I stand before you today deeply, deeply ashamed and terribly sorry that Americans have killed and wounded innocent Afghan people," said Colonel John Nicholson.
"We are filled with grief and sadness at the death of any Afghan. But the death and wounding of innocent Afghans at the hand of Americans is a stain on our honor and on the memory of the many Americans who have died defending Afghanistan and the Afghan people."
At least 19 Afghan family members were killed and 50 people injured in March when US forces opened fire at civilians in the Nangarhar province after a roadside bomb attack.
"This was a terrible, terrible mistake, and my nation grieves with you for your loss and suffering. We humbly ask for your respect and forgiveness," Nicholson said.
The marine unit involved in the incident was taken out of Afghanistan two weeks after the attack.
Nicholson said he made 2,000 dollar payments on Tuesday to the family of the victims.
"The people are our center of gravity here, so first and foremost in all that we do we seek to do no harm to the people.
"So events such as that do set us back with the population, and they have to be addressed very directly and forthrightly with the Afghan people."
More
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1178193460999&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout
But witnesses said that between 40 and 60 civilians were killed in the attack, according to the correspondent of the Doha-based Al-Jazeera.
Wafa said the casualties occurred when war planes pounded a village in Sangin district of Helmand province late Tuesday.
He had dispatched a delegation to the area to find out what had happened.
It was not clear if the strike was by NATO's International Security Assistance Force or the separate US forces, which both operate in the south.
There has been a steady rise in the killing of Afghan civilians, including children, who are also shot dead at checkpoints manned by foreign forces.
Last week, at least 49 civilians were killed in attacks by foreign troops in the Zerkoh Valley, about 120 kilometers south of Herat city.
Ashamed
Hours before the latest strike, a US brigade commander said he was "deeply ashamed" over the civilian killings in March.
"I stand before you today deeply, deeply ashamed and terribly sorry that Americans have killed and wounded innocent Afghan people," said Colonel John Nicholson.
"We are filled with grief and sadness at the death of any Afghan. But the death and wounding of innocent Afghans at the hand of Americans is a stain on our honor and on the memory of the many Americans who have died defending Afghanistan and the Afghan people."
At least 19 Afghan family members were killed and 50 people injured in March when US forces opened fire at civilians in the Nangarhar province after a roadside bomb attack.
"This was a terrible, terrible mistake, and my nation grieves with you for your loss and suffering. We humbly ask for your respect and forgiveness," Nicholson said.
The marine unit involved in the incident was taken out of Afghanistan two weeks after the attack.
Nicholson said he made 2,000 dollar payments on Tuesday to the family of the victims.
"The people are our center of gravity here, so first and foremost in all that we do we seek to do no harm to the people.
"So events such as that do set us back with the population, and they have to be addressed very directly and forthrightly with the Afghan people."
More
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1178193460999&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout
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Assadullah Wafa said a village in Sangin district of Helmand province was bombed late on Tuesday.
"Twenty-one civilians, including women and children, were killed," the governor said.
It was not clear whether the raid was by Nato's International Security Assistance Force or the separate US-led coalition, which both operate alongside the Afghan military.
Nato denial
James Bays, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Afghanistan, said Taliban sources were putting the number killed at about 50, while local sources said it was at least 40.
Bays said Nato had denied any knowledge of the air raid. The US-led coalition said it was checking the report.
He said there had been intense fighting in Sangin in recent days.
The claim of civilian casualties is the latest in a string of such incidents which have angered Afghans and prompted Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, to tell the foreign forces in his country to take more care in battle situations.
Authorities are still investigating an incident in the western province of Herat last month where UN and provincial Afghan investigations have found that about 50 civilians were killed.
'Shameful'
The latest casualties came even as a US commander admitted that civilian deaths in the country were "shameful".
Colonel John Nicholson, a US brigade commander, apologised on Tuesday to family members of 19 Afghans killed and 50 injured by US forces in an incident more than two months ago.
"I stand before you today deeply, deeply ashamed and terribly sorry that Americans have killed and wounded innocent Afghan people," Nicholson said he told the family members.
"This was a terrible, terrible mistake, and my nation grieves with you for your loss and suffering. We humbly ask for your respect and forgiveness," he said.
There has been growing anger in Afghanistan over civilian deaths in coalition military operations.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/79B11B94-7753-4E29-8703-FC5B8A67A9E8.htm
Helmand provincial Governor Asadullah Wafa said civilian homes were bombed in Sangin district, where foreign and Afghan troops are battling the Taleban.
The US-led coalition said one of its troops died in fighting in Sangin, but it had no reports of civilian deaths.
Mounting civilian casualties have caused an outcry in Afghanistan, with foreign forces accused of carelessness.
More
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6637957.stm