This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/08/afghan-nato-air-strike-civilians
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Afghan officials say Nato air strike killed nine civilians | Afghan officials say Nato air strike killed nine civilians |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Afghan officials have said an apparent Nato air strike has killed 15 people – nine of them civilians, including women and children – in an eastern province where the Taliban remain strong. Nato said 10 militants had died in the strike, and that it had no reports of any civilian deaths. | |
| Civilian deaths in Nato operations have long been a sore point between the Afghan government and the US-led troops in the country, and they have been a major factor in the animosity many Afghans feel towards foreign forces. Conflicting accounts of who or how many died also are common, especially when remote, dangerous regions are involved and access by independent observers is restricted. | Civilian deaths in Nato operations have long been a sore point between the Afghan government and the US-led troops in the country, and they have been a major factor in the animosity many Afghans feel towards foreign forces. Conflicting accounts of who or how many died also are common, especially when remote, dangerous regions are involved and access by independent observers is restricted. |
| The latest disputed air strike occurred in the Watapur district of Kunar province, which lies near the border with Pakistan. It is a militant stronghold, and many Arab and other foreign insurgents are believed to operate there alongside the Afghan Taliban. Some are suspected of links to the al-Qaida terrorist network. | The latest disputed air strike occurred in the Watapur district of Kunar province, which lies near the border with Pakistan. It is a militant stronghold, and many Arab and other foreign insurgents are believed to operate there alongside the Afghan Taliban. Some are suspected of links to the al-Qaida terrorist network. |
| The Kunar province police chief Abdul Habib Sayed Khaili said the air strike had hit a pickup truck carrying the women and children in Qoro village soon after three Arab and three Afghan militants boarded it on Saturday evening. He said some reports had called it a drone strike, but that Afghan officials had been unable to confirm that. Of the 15 dead, four were women, four were children and one was the driver, the police official said. | The Kunar province police chief Abdul Habib Sayed Khaili said the air strike had hit a pickup truck carrying the women and children in Qoro village soon after three Arab and three Afghan militants boarded it on Saturday evening. He said some reports had called it a drone strike, but that Afghan officials had been unable to confirm that. Of the 15 dead, four were women, four were children and one was the driver, the police official said. |
| The Watapur district chief Zalmai Yousefi confirmed the air strike. He also said 15 people had been killed, including women and children. | The Watapur district chief Zalmai Yousefi confirmed the air strike. He also said 15 people had been killed, including women and children. |
| The Nato spokeswoman 1st Lieutenant AnnMarie Annicelli confirmed that the military alliance had carried out a "precision strike" that killed 10 "enemy forces", but that it had received no reports of any civilians dying in the air strike. Annicelli had no immediate details on who exactly the dead were or what prompted the strike. | |
| Even as US-led foreign forces draw down their presence in Afghanistan, with a full exit expected by the end of 2014, the air support they provide to Afghan troops in many regions is still a crucial part of operations against the Taliban. | |
| Past strikes that killed civilians have infuriated Afghans. The president, Hamid Karzai, has spoken out forcefully against them and banned Afghan troops from requesting Nato air strikes during operations in residential areas. | Past strikes that killed civilians have infuriated Afghans. The president, Hamid Karzai, has spoken out forcefully against them and banned Afghan troops from requesting Nato air strikes during operations in residential areas. |
| As the violence in Afghanistan has spread, civilians are increasingly getting caught up in the conflict. | |
| Around 1,000 Afghan civilians have been killed and more than 2,000 wounded in the first half of this year – a huge portion of them in insurgent attacks – according to the UN. That marked a 24% rise in casualties compared to the same period last year. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday. |