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Afghan civilians die in US strike Many Afghans 'killed in US raids'
(about 5 hours later)
US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan have killed eight civilians during an air strike targeting insurgents, according to the US military. Dozens of Afghan civilians have been killed during aerial bombing by US forces in the western province of Herat, tribal elders say.
Two others were wounded in the bombing in western Farah province on Tuesday, the military said in a statement. They said an important tribal elder was among the dead in Shindand district.
The air strike was ordered after insurgents attacked a convoy of coalition forces, it said. A Nato spokesman said a number of insurgents had been killed and there were no reports of civilian casualties
Last Sunday, a US air strike in eastern Afghanistan killed 47 civilians, according to the government. Earlier, US forces admitted killing eight civilians in a neighbouring province - the latest in a series of bombing incidents involving civilians.
Correspondents say the issue of civilian casualties is hugely sensitive in Afghanistan. Searches
President Hamid Karzai has said that no civilian casualty is acceptable. News of the fighting in Shindand district came from tribal elders who reported dozens of casualties in the Zerkoh Valley.
Sensitive issue Anger is growing over civilian casualties in Afghanistan
Tuesday's air strike leading to the death of civilians happened in Bakwa district of Farah province. They said a large number of civilians had been killed in aerial attacks from midnight until 1000 local time.
"The [coalition] convoy was conducting a routine patrol when insurgents attacked using machine-gun and artillery fire," the US military release said. There were also unconfirmed reports of demonstrations beginning against Afghan security checkpoints.
"Coalition forces called for aerial fire support against the insurgents, who were concealed within houses lined along the nearby street," the statement added. Haji Nasrullah Khan, a hugely influential tribal leader, and three other men had been targeted and killed and four civilians injured, the local police chief for Shindand said.
The issue of civilian casualties is a sensitive subject in Afghanistan A Nato spokesman confirmed there had been an operation in the region of Parmagan village and said: "All indicators were that it had been successful with a number of insurgents killed and no reports of any civilian casualties."
The incident is being investigated, it said. There have been attacks in the Zerkoh Valley in the past, with US forces accused of killing civilians last year in a bombing raid.
Correspondents say most civilian deaths in Afghanistan are caused by Taleban fighters and other militants opposed to President Karzai and US and Nato-led forces. Survivors told the BBC local people had resisted American forces after they searched houses, including women's rooms which is not acceptable in local culture.
However, foreign troops have also often killed civilians, leading to an erosion of support for their presence in Afghanistan. Shindand is a strongly tribal area close to the border with Iran and there have been reports of smuggling and links between the tribes and Taleban insurgents.
Last year a US army spokesman said he was "deeply ashamed" after US marines killed 19 civilians near Jalalabad in Nangarhar province. 'Air support'
President Karzai has been scathing in his criticism over the deaths of Afghan civilians, even summoning foreign commanders in May 2007 to tell them "that the patience of the Afghan people is wearing thin with the continued killing of innocent civilians". In a separate area of neighbouring Farah province, US forces said they had killed eight civilians after they were attacked from a number of houses in Bakwa district.
Their statement said a routine patrol came under sustained attack from machine-gun fire on Tuesday from houses adjacent to the road.
"The coalition returned fire and called for close air support on the enemy positions," the statement said.
"A house was hit - eight civilians were killed, two others injured. Coalition forces never intentionally target non-combatants, and deeply regret any occurrence such as this where civilians are killed and injured as a result of insurgent activity and actions."
The issue of civilian casualties has again come up as there have been a number of incidents over the last couple of weeks.
On Thursday President Hamid Karzai visited families of those killed in the eastern province of Nangahar who had reported that more than 50 people from a wedding party died after being bombed by American aircraft.
President Karzai offered them his condolences and some financial assistance.