World | Afghanistan

Karzai orders investigation into US airstrike

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered an investigation into a US-led coalition airstrike that local officials say killed 15 civilians, but the US military says killed only armed Taliban militants.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 11:02 July 6, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Karzai has ordered the Defence Ministry to investigate the incident.
  • Image Credit: Gulf News Archive

Kabul: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered an investigation into a US-led coalition airstrike that local officials say killed 15 civilians, but the US military says killed only armed Taliban militants.

Coalition ground troops called in air support from attack helicopters after militants attacked an outpost in the northeastern province of Nuristan on Friday, the US military said in a statement on Saturday.

It said, "The helicopter crews coordinated with ground forces to positively identify the militants' vehicles. The attack helicopters then destroyed the two vehicles, killing more than a dozen militants."

But the governor of Nuristan said 15 civilians were killed and seven wounded in the attack in the Waigal district of Nuristan and none of the victims were militants.

Karzai ordered the Defence and Interior Ministries and a body that oversees local government to investigate, a statement from the presidential palace said on Sunday.

"President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly emphasised the (need for) coordination of military operations and has been deeply saddened since learning about this incident," the statement said.

Nearly 700 Afghan civilians were killed in the first six months of this year, 255 of them by Afghan government and international troops, the rest by Taliban militants.

  • Rate this article
  • Average reader rating (0 votes) 0 Stars
Tools

Emailing an article to friend is a simple way to share a news item. Your friend will receive an email with your name and email address as well any personal message you choose to send.

The information you provide on this page will not be used to send unsolicited emails.

This service is not intended to encourage spam, and action may be taken against individuals who maliciously enter personal details of another individual.

Share this article

Related Articles

  1. 22 Afghans killed in US-led airstrike

    22 Afghan civilians killed during US-led airstrike in Nuristan province

Afghanistan

  1. Rocket hits outside Afghan luxury hotel

  2. Suicide bomber kills 6 in Afghanistan

  3. Karzai sworn in as Afghan president

  4. Afghan official took bribe for China copper deal: US

  5. Suicides in US Army to increase this year

  6. New policy aimed at ending Afghan conflict, Obama says

  7. New Afghanistan prison unveiled

  8. Gates blocks Afghan, Iraq prisoner abuse photos

All articles in Afghanistan

More from World

Gulf News
Popular in World

More from world

News Editor's choice