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UK troops 'kill Afghan civilians' | UK troops 'kill Afghan civilians' |
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An investigation is under way after four civilians were apparently killed and three injured in Afghanistan in a rocket attack by British troops. | An investigation is under way after four civilians were apparently killed and three injured in Afghanistan in a rocket attack by British troops. |
The incident involving the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment happened on Saturday in the Sangin district of Helmand province. | The incident involving the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment happened on Saturday in the Sangin district of Helmand province. |
An International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) spokesman said the patrol launched the rockets in self-defence. | |
The Ministry of Defence said: "A full investigation will be carried out." | The Ministry of Defence said: "A full investigation will be carried out." |
The MoD spokesman said: "Our sympathies are with the families of the killed and injured civilians at this time." | |
The incident happened on Saturday morning when a patrol picked up a radio message calling for insurgents to converge on the area to attack the patrol, an Isaf spokesman said. | The incident happened on Saturday morning when a patrol picked up a radio message calling for insurgents to converge on the area to attack the patrol, an Isaf spokesman said. |
The enemies of Afghanistan have yet again shown a complete disregard for the lives of the innocent who they claim to fight for Isaf spokesman | |
He said the patrol identified insurgents with weapons on the roof of a building preparing to attack. | |
In order to protect themselves the patrol launched three rockets, all of which hit the target, he added. | In order to protect themselves the patrol launched three rockets, all of which hit the target, he added. |
The spokesman said they later discovered civilians were inside the building at the time. | |
He said the casualties were treated at a nearby Isaf medical facility where two of them, both children, remain seriously ill. | |
"The enemies of Afghanistan have yet again shown a complete disregard for the lives of the innocent who they claim to fight for," he added. | |
British troops have been engaged in Afghanistan since September 2001 and there are now approximately 7,300 British troops across the south of the country. | |
The number of UK troops killed on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 stands at 115, following the death of a soldier after a suicide bomber drove his car into a convoy on the outskirts of Kabul, on 11 August. |