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Afghanistan

Afghan Officials say 22 Civilians Killed in US-led Air Raid

2008-07-05

Afghan officials say a U.S.-led coalition air strike has killed 22 civilians in eastern Afghanistan.

District chief Zia-ul-Rehman told reporters the attack happened Friday on a road in the remote district of Nuristan province, near the Pakistani border. He said the civilians were leaving the area, when their vehicles were bombed.

In a statement Friday, the U.S.-led coalition confirmed the air raid but denied any civilians had been killed. The coalition says the air strike was in response to a militant attack on a base and that militants - not civilians - were killed in the air raid.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called on foreign troops to minimize civilian casualties. The United Nations says close to 700 civilians have been killed so far this year, after being caught in crossfire between Taliban insurgents and foreign forces.

Posted by:Fred

#7 I don't recall the South Vietnam government reporting atrocity propaganda, during the war in Southeast Asia. Karzai can go to hell, after his US citizenship is revoked.

No Taliban; no counter terror.

Posted by: McZoid 2008-07-05 20:52

#6 in that Central Asian Hillbilly tradition of 'if you're not married into the tribe, you're maybe fair game, stranger, if I can catch you when nobody's lookin''.

Obviously, if they get our guys, why - that's just cricket, whereas if we nail them - ain't no Taliban here; they're all civilians.

Posted by: Zhang Fei 2008-07-05 14:17

#5 There was an ambush last fall in Nuristan on an American column returning from a village meet-and-greet, one of those thankfully rare cases of a well-planned, well-executed enemy action that caught our people unprepared & trapped in a tight killzone. The context strongly suggested that it was the locals being typically unsociable in that Central Asian Hillbilly tradition of "if you're not married into the tribe, you're maybe fair game, stranger, if I can catch you when nobody's lookin'".
I speculate that this might have been a case of delayed retribution on the non-Taliban malefactors in that previous case.

Posted by: Mitch H. 2008-07-05 08:21

#4 In Afghanistan, "we are all civilians"!

Posted by: Jack is Back! 2008-07-05 07:38

#3 Twenty two sounds like part of the wedding party got separated from the main group on the way to the reception.

I hope the Best Man and Maid of Honor (Killing) weren't among them.

Or maybe I don't.

Posted by: JDB 2008-07-05 03:04

#2 Very wise de-code ZF..

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called on foreign troops to minimize civilian casualties. The United Nations says close to 700 civilians have been killed so far this year, after being caught in crossfire between Taliban insurgents and foreign forces.

May I suggest that the Afghan officials including Afghan President Hamid Karzai wear bunny, kitten, hamster, mickey mouse, and/or puppy outfits for the duration. It might make them think like they act... like amateur non-combatants.

Posted by: RD 2008-07-05 00:49

#1 I am gonna guess that this is one of those frienemy reports - friend when they want something from us, enemy when we're not looking. In this case, I guess they want to generate propaganda for the Taliban while extorting compensation payments for the Taliban dead.

Posted by: Zhang Fei 2008-07-05 00:22

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