Tuesday, May 12, 2009

The Airstrike

KABUL - A US and Afghan investigation confirmed on Saturday that 'a number of civilians' were killed in clashes with Taleban this week although President Hamid Karzai charged that up to 130 died in US air strikes.

In its first statement after the battle in the southern province of Farah on Monday and on Tuesday, the joint investigation team said it was unable to give firmer figures because all the dead had been buried, some in mass graves.

The statement also did not make clear if the dead were killed in air strikes or ground fighting centred on two villages in the district of Bala Buluk.

The US military and Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) team was still investigating the complex series of attacks, it said.

A statement issued by the US military later Saturday said that the investigation has also found evidence 'of non-combatant casualties caused by Taleban fighters' actions.' Doctors at Farah hospital said they had treated 16 patients for flash burns and small lacerations. 'Afghan doctors said injuries could have resulted from hand grenades or exploding propane tanks,' the statement said.

The US military says the fighting in the district of Bala Buluk was started by a large number of Taleban, including non-Afghans, who had gathered in two villages and demanded payments from villagers.

Militants also attacked police checkpoints, inflicting some casualties. The provincial government called for help from Afghan and coalition forces, it said.

As heavy fighting continued for several hours, coalition troops called for close air support against their attackers.

The US military in Kabul has said more than 25 Taleban were killed but described figures issued for the civilian toll as 'grossly exaggerated,' including one from Afghan police of at least 70.

United Nations officials dismissed earlier suggestions from the US military that the Taleban may have caused some of the casualties by throwing grenades at villagers. -- AFP

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