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| Commander Denies U.S. to Blame in Afghan Deaths | Commander Denies U.S. to Blame in Afghan Deaths |
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| KABUL, Afghanistan — The highest-ranking international military commander in Afghanistan has categorically denied any American or NATO responsibility for the deaths of at least 17 women and children after nearly seven hours of intensive airstrikes near their compound in eastern Afghanistan, in a new twist to a case that has raised tensions with the Afghan government. | |
| In an interview, the commander, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., insisted that the Taliban had caused the deaths, over April 5 and 6 in a mountainous area of Kunar Province, despite the findings of an Afghan government investigation and a number of local residents who said the civilians died of blast injuries incurred after repeated American airstrikes near the house they were in. | In an interview, the commander, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., insisted that the Taliban had caused the deaths, over April 5 and 6 in a mountainous area of Kunar Province, despite the findings of an Afghan government investigation and a number of local residents who said the civilians died of blast injuries incurred after repeated American airstrikes near the house they were in. |
| “No S.O.F., no U.S., no coalition forces were involved in the deaths,” General Dunford said, using the abbreviation for Special Operations forces. “It’s been investigated ad nauseam.” | “No S.O.F., no U.S., no coalition forces were involved in the deaths,” General Dunford said, using the abbreviation for Special Operations forces. “It’s been investigated ad nauseam.” |
| The spokesman for President Hamid Karzai is equally adamant about the conclusion of the Afghan investigation: that the immediate cause of death was the airstrikes. The Afghan government also said reckless disregard for civilian lives had been shown by both the Taliban and a secretive Afghan paramilitary force with C.I.A. advisers. They were locked in a firefight that led the American operatives and their Afghan forces to call in the airstrikes. | The spokesman for President Hamid Karzai is equally adamant about the conclusion of the Afghan investigation: that the immediate cause of death was the airstrikes. The Afghan government also said reckless disregard for civilian lives had been shown by both the Taliban and a secretive Afghan paramilitary force with C.I.A. advisers. They were locked in a firefight that led the American operatives and their Afghan forces to call in the airstrikes. |
| “There is no change in our position: the airstrikes killed women and children,” said the spokesman, Aimal Faizi. | “There is no change in our position: the airstrikes killed women and children,” said the spokesman, Aimal Faizi. |
| The violence in Kunar last month became one of the main exhibits in Mr. Karzai’s campaign to bring to heel American covert operations in Afghanistan, particularly by C.I.A.-affiliated militias. Mr. Faizi used the phrase “irresponsible armed groups” to describe those forces, and demanded that they either come under full Afghan control or be disbanded. | The violence in Kunar last month became one of the main exhibits in Mr. Karzai’s campaign to bring to heel American covert operations in Afghanistan, particularly by C.I.A.-affiliated militias. Mr. Faizi used the phrase “irresponsible armed groups” to describe those forces, and demanded that they either come under full Afghan control or be disbanded. |
| While it is difficult to evaluate the conflicting assessments because the investigation by the international military forces has not been made public, interviews with people who were in the village throughout the bombing and with doctors familiar with the physical effects of blast waves suggest that blast injuries are the mostly likely explanation. | While it is difficult to evaluate the conflicting assessments because the investigation by the international military forces has not been made public, interviews with people who were in the village throughout the bombing and with doctors familiar with the physical effects of blast waves suggest that blast injuries are the mostly likely explanation. |
| Those interviews, as well as one with a member of the Afghan paramilitary team involved, suggest an operation that went catastrophically awry after a serious underestimation of the Taliban force’s strength. The villagers described the airstrikes as being particularly fierce to allow the C.I.A.-run force, known as a counterterrorism pursuit team, to escape under fire with the body of one of their C.I.A. advisers who was killed. | Those interviews, as well as one with a member of the Afghan paramilitary team involved, suggest an operation that went catastrophically awry after a serious underestimation of the Taliban force’s strength. The villagers described the airstrikes as being particularly fierce to allow the C.I.A.-run force, known as a counterterrorism pursuit team, to escape under fire with the body of one of their C.I.A. advisers who was killed. |
| While American military officials would not say whether the C.I.A. is subject to engagement rules that try to protect civilians by sharply limiting airstrikes, Maj. David E. Nevers spokesman for General Dunford said the directives allow for airstrikes when American troops are at risk of being overwhelmed by enemy fire. | While American military officials would not say whether the C.I.A. is subject to engagement rules that try to protect civilians by sharply limiting airstrikes, Maj. David E. Nevers spokesman for General Dunford said the directives allow for airstrikes when American troops are at risk of being overwhelmed by enemy fire. |
| The Afghan team and its C.I.A. advisers were searching a compound used by a prominent insurgent commander when they were besieged by a large Taliban force shooting into the compound, even though their children and relatives were inside, said several villagers. | |
| The Afghan team put the women and children together in one room as bullets began flying. | The Afghan team put the women and children together in one room as bullets began flying. |
| When the aircraft arrived, after the battle had been raging for hours the bombing was so unrelenting that one villager said it had sounded like “the end of the world.” | When the aircraft arrived, after the battle had been raging for hours the bombing was so unrelenting that one villager said it had sounded like “the end of the world.” |
| Multiple villagers said the barrage had involved eight or nine aircraft: roughly four airplanes, two helicopters, two drones and “one really big airplane” that locals described as “never running out of fuel or bombs.” | Multiple villagers said the barrage had involved eight or nine aircraft: roughly four airplanes, two helicopters, two drones and “one really big airplane” that locals described as “never running out of fuel or bombs.” |
| The bombing went on for an hour after the Taliban fire stopped, as the barrage struck in front of and behind the Counterterrorism Pursuit Team’s vehicles as they brought their dead and wounded to a place where they could be flown out, residents said. | The bombing went on for an hour after the Taliban fire stopped, as the barrage struck in front of and behind the Counterterrorism Pursuit Team’s vehicles as they brought their dead and wounded to a place where they could be flown out, residents said. |
| After the bombing, the villagers were stunned by what they saw: Instead of craters and collapsed houses, they saw no immediate evidence of the airstrikes. | After the bombing, the villagers were stunned by what they saw: Instead of craters and collapsed houses, they saw no immediate evidence of the airstrikes. |
| “We couldn’t find any crater caused by the bomb,” said Hajji Ali Ahmed, a village elder. “We have seen many episodes of bombing and its casualties during the anti-Soviet jihad, and when the Americans have bombed our villages. Those bombings destroyed houses, even big houses, crumbled thick walls, uprooted trees.” | “We couldn’t find any crater caused by the bomb,” said Hajji Ali Ahmed, a village elder. “We have seen many episodes of bombing and its casualties during the anti-Soviet jihad, and when the Americans have bombed our villages. Those bombings destroyed houses, even big houses, crumbled thick walls, uprooted trees.” |
| “The casualties were usually missing limbs or were torn open and bleeding,” he said. “But the casualties from this bombing were totally different from anything we have seen in the past.” | “The casualties were usually missing limbs or were torn open and bleeding,” he said. “But the casualties from this bombing were totally different from anything we have seen in the past.” |
| “We believe that the bombs were all acoustic or sonic bombs,” Mr. Ahmed said. He said they were intended “only to deter the Taliban” and to allow the Counterterrorism Pursuit Team to retreat. A spokesman for the American military declined to say what kinds of bombs were used. | “We believe that the bombs were all acoustic or sonic bombs,” Mr. Ahmed said. He said they were intended “only to deter the Taliban” and to allow the Counterterrorism Pursuit Team to retreat. A spokesman for the American military declined to say what kinds of bombs were used. |
| The lack of visible marks might signal that the air team was using munitions with airburst fuzes, which detonate above the ground and create shock waves, according to weapons experts. | The lack of visible marks might signal that the air team was using munitions with airburst fuzes, which detonate above the ground and create shock waves, according to weapons experts. |
| Still, villagers said, the house where the women and children were hiding did not seem to have been directly struck. “All of the bombs were dropped on the flanks, in the back and in front of the house,” Mr. Ahmed said. | Still, villagers said, the house where the women and children were hiding did not seem to have been directly struck. “All of the bombs were dropped on the flanks, in the back and in front of the house,” Mr. Ahmed said. |
| The international military mission here says the civilians were alive when the team left. While officials would not comment on some of the details pointed out by the villagers — or explain why they maintain that the Taliban killed the civilians — they hold that assertion up as a main point of defense. | The international military mission here says the civilians were alive when the team left. While officials would not comment on some of the details pointed out by the villagers — or explain why they maintain that the Taliban killed the civilians — they hold that assertion up as a main point of defense. |
| “Before leaving the area, two unit members personally conducted a head count of all 9 women and 11 children who were consolidated in the safe room,” Major Nevers said. “All were alive and uninjured when the unit departed the scene.” | “Before leaving the area, two unit members personally conducted a head count of all 9 women and 11 children who were consolidated in the safe room,” Major Nevers said. “All were alive and uninjured when the unit departed the scene.” |
| Assuming that account is true, doctors say it was possible that the civilians already had internal injuries from bombing and died later, or that the bombing went on after the team left. While a part of one of the buildings sheltering the women and children collapsed, it was unclear whether that was enough to kill them. | Assuming that account is true, doctors say it was possible that the civilians already had internal injuries from bombing and died later, or that the bombing went on after the team left. While a part of one of the buildings sheltering the women and children collapsed, it was unclear whether that was enough to kill them. |
| “People can survive a blast injury and not be aware of the internal bleeding and then die a few hours later,” said Dr. Christopher Born, who specializes in orthopedic trauma at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence. | “People can survive a blast injury and not be aware of the internal bleeding and then die a few hours later,” said Dr. Christopher Born, who specializes in orthopedic trauma at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence. |
| A colleague at the hospital, Dr. Roman Hayda, a former Army orthopedist, noted that being indoors may not have been much of a defense. “If the wave enters an enclosed space or somebody is up against a wall, it can have a reflective effect and it can magnify the effect of the blast wave,” Dr. Hayda said. | A colleague at the hospital, Dr. Roman Hayda, a former Army orthopedist, noted that being indoors may not have been much of a defense. “If the wave enters an enclosed space or somebody is up against a wall, it can have a reflective effect and it can magnify the effect of the blast wave,” Dr. Hayda said. |
| But, he cautioned, “The only way to really know would be to do an autopsy.” | But, he cautioned, “The only way to really know would be to do an autopsy.” |
An employee of The New York Times contributed reporting from Kunar Province, Afghanistan; Matthew Rosenberg from Kabul; and C. J. Chivers from the United States. | An employee of The New York Times contributed reporting from Kunar Province, Afghanistan; Matthew Rosenberg from Kabul; and C. J. Chivers from the United States. |