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US 'deeply' regrets Afghan deaths US 'deeply' regrets Afghan deaths
(10 minutes later)
Washington "deeply, deeply" regrets the death of Afghan civilians killed by an air strike, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said.Washington "deeply, deeply" regrets the death of Afghan civilians killed by an air strike, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said.
Red Cross officials believe dozens of civilians including women and children died in the strike which targeted Taleban fighters in Farah Province.Red Cross officials believe dozens of civilians including women and children died in the strike which targeted Taleban fighters in Farah Province.
The civilians are said to have been sheltering from fighting at the time.The civilians are said to have been sheltering from fighting at the time.
Mrs Clinton was speaking alongside the Afghan and Pakistani presidents who are in Washington to meet Barack Obama.Mrs Clinton was speaking alongside the Afghan and Pakistani presidents who are in Washington to meet Barack Obama.
See a map of the region See a map of the region
She said there would be a joint investigation into the deaths.She said there would be a joint investigation into the deaths.
The Afghan leader, Hamid Karzai, has said he will raise the incident with Mr Obama. The Afghan leader, Hamid Karzai, has said he will raise the incident with Mr Obama but he thanked Mrs Clinton for her statement of regret.
Hillary Clinton: 'There will be a joint investigation'Hillary Clinton: 'There will be a joint investigation'
But he thanked Mrs Clinton for her statement of regret.
Pakistan's leader, Asif Ali Zardari, said he would work with Mr Karzai, whom he called his "brother", to defeat the "cancer" of terrorism.Pakistan's leader, Asif Ali Zardari, said he would work with Mr Karzai, whom he called his "brother", to defeat the "cancer" of terrorism.
He faces a growing crisis in his own country amid a new outbreak of fighting between the army and Taleban rebels in the Swat Valley region.He faces a growing crisis in his own country amid a new outbreak of fighting between the army and Taleban rebels in the Swat Valley region.
'Sheltering' In other business, the two South Asian leaders signed a memorandum of understanding on a trade agreement which would boost foreign direct investment in their countries.
International Committee of the Red Cross observers who visited the site of the air strikes saw houses destroyed and dozens of dead bodies, including women and children, a spokeswoman said. But Mrs Clinton acknowledged that such an accord had already been under discussion for more than 40 years without resolution, underlining just how ambitious US policy for the region is, the BBC's Richard Lister reports from Washington.
"We can absolutely confirm there were civilian casualties," Jessica Barry said. "It seemed they were trying to shelter in houses when they were hit." Pledge of solidarity
The governor of Farah province, Rohul Amin, backed the Red Cross verdict that civilians had died but he could not confirm numbers. "I wish to express my personal regret and certainly the sympathy of our administration on the loss of civilian life in Afghanistan," said Mrs Clinton.
Martin PatienceBBC News, Kabul Here in Afghanistan, people are taking this very seriously. Just a few hours ago there were rowdy scenes in the Afghan parliament with many parliamentarians protesting at what appears to be a large loss of lives of Afghan civilians. Ultimately, the international community and the Afghan government need to win over ordinary Afghans. Every time there is an incident like this, it sets back the whole agenda. So it's a very dangerous, problematic step for the international community and something the international forces will be desperate to avoid in the future.Martin PatienceBBC News, Kabul Here in Afghanistan, people are taking this very seriously. Just a few hours ago there were rowdy scenes in the Afghan parliament with many parliamentarians protesting at what appears to be a large loss of lives of Afghan civilians. Ultimately, the international community and the Afghan government need to win over ordinary Afghans. Every time there is an incident like this, it sets back the whole agenda. So it's a very dangerous, problematic step for the international community and something the international forces will be desperate to avoid in the future.
"Any loss of innocent life is particularly painful and I want to convey to people of both Afghanistan and Pakistan that we will work very hard with your governments and with your leaders to avoid the loss of innocent life and we deeply, deeply regret that loss."
Thanking her, Mr Karzai said: "We hope we can work together towards reducing, and eventually completely removing, the possibilities of civilian casualties as we move ahead in our war against terrorism."
Mr Zardari said Pakistan would help Afghanistan and the US to fight the threat posed by the Taleban and al-Qaeda.
"For no matter how long it takes and what it takes, democracies will deliver, my democracy will deliver," he said.
"People of Pakistan stand with the people of the United States and the people of Afghanistan."
International Committee of the Red Cross observers who visited the site of the air strikes saw houses destroyed and dozens of dead bodies, including women and children.
Their account was backed up by Afghan officials but they could not confirm the number of casualties.
The US military said coalition troops had been called to assist Afghan forces as they attempted to fight off an insurgent attack. It has sent a team of investigators to Farah.The US military said coalition troops had been called to assist Afghan forces as they attempted to fight off an insurgent attack. It has sent a team of investigators to Farah.
Tuesday's violence broke out after more than 100 Taleban militants attacked a police checkpoint in Farah, in the far west of Afghanistan, killing three police, Afghan officials say. Meanwhile US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has arrived in Kabul on an unannounced visit.
They later entered a village where they beheaded three people accused of being government collaborators. "We have a new policy, a new strategy, a new ambassador and we have a lot of new troops going into the area, and I just want to go out and see for myself how they're doing," he told reporters in Saudi Arabia shortly before flying to Afghanistan.
At least 25 Taleban fighters are reported also to have died in the US air strike.
Officials and police sources in Farah have estimated the total number of dead, including civilians, at around 100.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Kabul on an unannounced visit. An AFP news agency correspondent travelling with him says he will focus on preparations for the scheduled influx of tens of thousands more US troops.
Crisis in PakistanCrisis in Pakistan
Mr Obama will hold bilateral talks with Mr Karzai and Mr Zardari, before all three hold a joint meeting.Mr Obama will hold bilateral talks with Mr Karzai and Mr Zardari, before all three hold a joint meeting.
Thousands of Pakistanis are reported to be fleeing their homes as a peace deal between the government in Islamabad and Taleban militants appears on the verge of collapse.Thousands of Pakistanis are reported to be fleeing their homes as a peace deal between the government in Islamabad and Taleban militants appears on the verge of collapse.
Fighting flared overnight in Mingora, the main town in Swat, and continued into Wednesday, with reports of helicopter gunships bombarding militant positions. Officials say that more than 40,000 people have so far fled from clashes between the army and militants in Swat.
The government has warned that 500,000 people could try to leave if the peace deal formally breaks down, although the BBC's Mark Dummett, in Islamabad, says the army has not yet launched the offensive most are now expecting. Fighting broke out on Tuesday night in Mingora, the main town in Swat, where the Taleban occupied key buildings and defied a curfew, officials say.
On Tuesday the US envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, told a congressional hearing in Washington that Pakistan must do more to combat the Taleban. At least 24 people have been killed in the latest Swat fighting, they say.
Bedraggled men, women in burkas and children are all now fleeing the area to reach camps set up by the government with UN help.
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