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Afghan officials: US missiles killed 27 civilians
Afghan officials said fighter aircraft battling militants accidentally killed up to 27 Afghans walking to a wedding ceremony in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, the second military attack in three days with reports of civilian deaths.
- AP
- Published: 08:16 July 7, 2008
- Image Credit: AP
- President Hamid Karzai ordered an investigation into allegations that missiles from US helicopters struck civilians on Friday in eastern Afghanistan.
Kabul: Afghan officials said fighter aircraft battling militants accidentally killed up to 27 Afghans walking to a wedding ceremony in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, the second military attack in three days with reports of civilian deaths.
The US military blamed the claims on militant propaganda and said its missiles only struck insurgents.
President Hamid Karzai had already ordered an investigation into allegations that missiles from US helicopters struck civilians on Friday in eastern Afghanistan, though the Defence Ministry said Sunday that attack on the Nuristan-Kunar border killed or wounded 20 militants.
US Army General David D. McKiernan, the commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan, said on Sunday that the two incidents were being investigated. He noted that militants hide among and intimidate civilians.
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