PRECISION AIR STRIKE TARGETS TALIBAN LEADER IN NURISTAN
KABUL, Afghanistan (Nov. 28) – Acting on credible intelligence from several sources, International Security Assistance Forces conducted an air strike using precision munitions killing a number of insurgents in the Nurgaram District of Nuristan Province on Nov. 26.
The intelligence indicated that an insurgent leader and his forces were preparing for attacks on Afghan National Security Forces and ISAF elements operating in the area.
Allegations have been made that construction workers were killed in the air strike. Afghan government officials, ANP and ISAF forces are conducting a joint investigation at this time.
“We take allegations of this kind very seriously and make every effort to minimize the possibility of civilian casualties,” said Brig. Gen. Carlos Branco, ISAF Spokesman.
ISAF commanders in Nuristan Province and the provincial governor spoke about the air strike early Tuesday morning.
Nuristan governor Tamim Nuristani informed the Provincial Reconstruction Team commander that Abdulla Jan, the Western Nuristan Taliban commander, may have been killed in the air strike.
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Same event, different view:
By AMIR SHAH, Associated Press Writer
KABUL, Afghanistan - NATO warplanes hunting Taliban fighters in eastern Afghanistan mistakenly bombed an Afghan road construction crew sleeping in tents, killing 14 workers, Afghan officials said Wednesday.
If confirmed that NATO hit the wrong target, the incident in mountainous Nuristan province late Monday would be the first major blunder by foreign troops in months. It follows sharp criticism earlier this year of mass civilian casualties caused in operations by U.S. and NATO-led troops that have undermined their reputation among Afghan civilians and hurt the government of Western-backed President Hamid Karzai.
NATO's International Security Assistance Force said its warplanes conducted airstrikes against Taliban fighters in the area Monday night and that a militant leader was targeted.
"ISAF was engaged in Nurgaram and Du Ab (districts), and in those places we used airstrikes" against Taliban fighters, spokesman Brig. Gen. Carlos Branco told a news conference. "The situation is not clear at all at this stage. We are carrying out the investigation and trying to get a clear picture."
Maj. Charles Anthony, another spokesman for the NATO force, said two bombs were dropped and there was a "strong indication that we got a Taliban leader during the course of the operation."
But Afghan officials said bombs hit two tents housing Afghan engineers and laborers contracted by the U.S. military to build a road, killing 14 workers. They blamed faulty intelligence for the mistake.
Nuristan Gov. Tamim Nuristani said the attacks followed reports that "the enemy" was in the area, but they instead hit the road construction workers as they were sleeping.
"All of our poor workers have been killed," said Sayed Noorullah Jalili, director of Amerifa, a Kabul-based road construction company. "I don't think the Americans were targeting our people. I'm sure it's the enemy of the Afghans who gave the Americans this wrong information." |