Thirty civilians and 20 policemen were killed in recent days in two separate airstrikes in Afghanistan to NATO, said Sunday authorities of southern provinces of Helmand and eastern Nuristan. In Helmand, a stronghold of Taliban insurgents and most dangerous province for the coalition since the conflict began in late 2001, helicopters from the NATO intervened to defend a position contested hit two houses in the district of Nawzad, explain the governor's .
"Unfortunately, 14 innocent civilians - five girls, seven boys and two women - were killed and six wounded - three children, one woman and two men," a statement said. Afghan President Hamid Karzai called for "serious mistake" and "murder" the death of 14 civilians. He made "a final warning to troops and U.S.
officials" told to cease operations "unilateral". The governor of Nuristan province's mountainous north-east where the insurgency is well established, for his part said that 18 civilians and 20 policemen were killed in a strike on May 25, amid intense fighting between Afghan forces NATO and the Taliban who were threatening to seize a district.
"The police have been killed by friendly fire," said Badar Jamalddin, "civilians were killed because they were confused with the Taliban, wearing civilian clothes and that, short of ammunition, fled in dwellings. In both cases, the NATO force in Afghanistan (ISAF) said to be "aware" of the various allegations and have sent a team of investigators, ensuring that their findings would be made public.
On the Nuristan, "the first information we have does not mention civilian casualties during that strike," said a spokesman, appearing implicitly not to exclude victims within Afghan police. In Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand, a tribal leader of Nawzad, appearing under the single name of Aslam said that twelve members of his family were killed in the strike, and ten injured including children.
Aslam, who shouted his anger Sunday morning outside the offices of governor, said he saw helicopters from the NATO wipe gunfire as they passed, before returning and firing rockets, killing "innocent civilians" . Civilian casualties are a sensitive issue in Afghanistan, where ten years of foreign military presence fueling anti-Western resentment.
A raid of NATO, which had killed four people, people presented as civilians by the population, had sparked two days of violent demonstrations on 18 and 19 May in Taloqan (northeast): they had 17 dead. 
"Unfortunately, 14 innocent civilians - five girls, seven boys and two women - were killed and six wounded - three children, one woman and two men," a statement said. Afghan President Hamid Karzai called for "serious mistake" and "murder" the death of 14 civilians. He made "a final warning to troops and U.S.
officials" told to cease operations "unilateral". The governor of Nuristan province's mountainous north-east where the insurgency is well established, for his part said that 18 civilians and 20 policemen were killed in a strike on May 25, amid intense fighting between Afghan forces NATO and the Taliban who were threatening to seize a district.
"The police have been killed by friendly fire," said Badar Jamalddin, "civilians were killed because they were confused with the Taliban, wearing civilian clothes and that, short of ammunition, fled in dwellings. In both cases, the NATO force in Afghanistan (ISAF) said to be "aware" of the various allegations and have sent a team of investigators, ensuring that their findings would be made public.
On the Nuristan, "the first information we have does not mention civilian casualties during that strike," said a spokesman, appearing implicitly not to exclude victims within Afghan police. In Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand, a tribal leader of Nawzad, appearing under the single name of Aslam said that twelve members of his family were killed in the strike, and ten injured including children.
Aslam, who shouted his anger Sunday morning outside the offices of governor, said he saw helicopters from the NATO wipe gunfire as they passed, before returning and firing rockets, killing "innocent civilians" . Civilian casualties are a sensitive issue in Afghanistan, where ten years of foreign military presence fueling anti-Western resentment.
A raid of NATO, which had killed four people, people presented as civilians by the population, had sparked two days of violent demonstrations on 18 and 19 May in Taloqan (northeast): they had 17 dead.
- Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan (29/05/2011)
- "Afghanistan Update: Karzai issues 'last warning' to Nato" and related posts (29/05/2011)
- Ο Μαρξ στο Σόχο (17/05/2011)
- What is a French 'ir' verb (27/05/2011)
- Rep. Allen West suggests U.S. can't leave Afghanistan because Americans are dying there (29/05/2011)
No comments:
Post a Comment