Deaths during U.S. raid spark Afghan protest

Deaths during U.S. raid spark Afghan protest
By Rahim Faiez - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Jan 24, 2008 18:51:49 EST

KABUL, Afghanistan — Hundreds of Afghans chanted anti-American slogans to protest the deaths of nine policemen who local officials said were killed Thursday in an anti-Taliban operation by U.S.-led coalition troops.

The coalition denied killing the policemen. A spokesman said four insurgents were killed and nine were detained in the mission in central Afghanistan.

The officers, including a district police chief, died in Ghazni province during the raid by U.S. ground forces and airstrikes, said a provincial official, Habeb-ul Rahman. Two civilians also died, he said.

“This morning around 3:30 a.m., coalition forces launched an operation north of Ghazni,” said Abdullah Nashir, the spokesman for the province’s governor. “Unfortunately we got reports that second district commander Kamyab along with eight other police were killed.”

Police officials in Ghazni, who spoke on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to talk to the media, said the officers appeared to have been killed by American troops, who mistook them for insurgents.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/ap_afgahnshooting_080124/