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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Nato mulls 'smaller Afghan bombs' | Nato mulls 'smaller Afghan bombs' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Nato is considering the use of smaller bombs in Afghanistan to try to curb the rising number of civilians killed during operations against the Taleban. | Nato is considering the use of smaller bombs in Afghanistan to try to curb the rising number of civilians killed during operations against the Taleban. |
| Commanders have also ordered troops to hold off attacking militants in some situations where civilians are at risk. | Commanders have also ordered troops to hold off attacking militants in some situations where civilians are at risk. |
| Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer acknowledged civilian casualties had hurt the alliance politically, in an interview with the Financial Times. | Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer acknowledged civilian casualties had hurt the alliance politically, in an interview with the Financial Times. |
| Aid agencies say western forces have killed 230 civilians so far this year. | Aid agencies say western forces have killed 230 civilians so far this year. |
| Between 700 and 1,000 civilians were killed by both sides during 2006, according to the Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR). | Between 700 and 1,000 civilians were killed by both sides during 2006, according to the Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR). |
| Casualties 'inevitable' | Casualties 'inevitable' |
| Mr de Hoop Scheffer said Nato commanders were "working with weapon loads on aircraft to reduce collateral damage". | Mr de Hoop Scheffer said Nato commanders were "working with weapon loads on aircraft to reduce collateral damage". |
| However, he insisted it was impossible to eliminate non-combatant deaths entirely. | However, he insisted it was impossible to eliminate non-combatant deaths entirely. |
| If we cannot neutralise our enemy today without harming civilians, our enemy will give us the opportunity tomorrow Jaap de Hoop SchefferNato Secretary-General | If we cannot neutralise our enemy today without harming civilians, our enemy will give us the opportunity tomorrow Jaap de Hoop SchefferNato Secretary-General |
| Mr de Hoop Scheffer said Gen Dan McNeill, the commander of the Nato force in Afghanistan, Isaf, had also instructed troops to delay attacks on Taleban fighters if civilians are at risk. | Mr de Hoop Scheffer said Gen Dan McNeill, the commander of the Nato force in Afghanistan, Isaf, had also instructed troops to delay attacks on Taleban fighters if civilians are at risk. |
| "We realise that, if we cannot neutralise our enemy today without harming civilians, our enemy will give us the opportunity tomorrow," he added, | "We realise that, if we cannot neutralise our enemy today without harming civilians, our enemy will give us the opportunity tomorrow," he added, |
| "If that means going after a Taleban not on Wednesday but on Thursday, we will get him then." | |
| A spokesman for Isaf (the International Security Assistance Force) told the BBC's correspondent in Kabul, Alastair Leithead, that the secretary-general's comments were part of a move to revise procedures to take Afghan sensitivities into account. | A spokesman for Isaf (the International Security Assistance Force) told the BBC's correspondent in Kabul, Alastair Leithead, that the secretary-general's comments were part of a move to revise procedures to take Afghan sensitivities into account. |
| Mr de Hoop Scheffer's comments come a week after Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said civilian casualties were "not acceptable on a moral level" and "disastrous on a political level". | Mr de Hoop Scheffer's comments come a week after Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said civilian casualties were "not acceptable on a moral level" and "disastrous on a political level". |
| Afghanistan's President, Hamid Karzai, also recently warned western troops against treating Afghan lives cheaply. | Afghanistan's President, Hamid Karzai, also recently warned western troops against treating Afghan lives cheaply. |
| He is scheduled to visit the US at the weekend for talks with top US officials. | He is scheduled to visit the US at the weekend for talks with top US officials. |