Official: 21 Afghan civilians killed (US air strikes)

Source: ap




Official: 21 Afghan civilians killed

By NOOR KHAN, Associated Press Writer 21 minutes ago

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Airstrikes called in by U.S. Special Forces soldiers fighting with insurgents in southern
Afghanistan killed at least 21 civilians, officials said Wednesday. One coalition soldier was also killed.


Helmand provincial Gov. Assadullah Wafa said Taliban fighters sought shelter in villagers' homes during the fighting in the Sangin district Tuesday evening, and that subsequent airstrikes killed 21 civilians, including several women and children.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly said more must be done to prevent civilian casualties during military operations. He warned last week, after reports that 51 civilians were killed in the west, that Afghanistan "can no longer accept civilian casualties they way they occur."

The U.S.-led coalition said militants fired guns, rocket propelled grenades and mortars at U.S. Special Forces and Afghan soldiers on patrol 15 miles north of Sangin.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070509/ap_on_re_as/afghan_violence;_ylt=AlMHBhiwnMTh9vmj0SedVDes0NUE

He is doing such a swell job in the Iraqi subsidiary, why not the Afghan one, as well? I mean, they're all the same, right? Get Cheney's iron-lung to Kabul right away!

:think:

Aren't they "special" because they're trained to do these special tasks. If they identified they guys, why do they have to call in airstrikes to wipe out anyone and everyone in the area?