22 Afghan civilians killed by NATO


This video is called Afghanistan Civilian Casualties in Helmand (August 2007).

From The News in Pakistan:

22 civilians killed in coalition forces’ operation against insurgents

Updated at: 2120 PST, Monday, April 07, 2008

KABUL: Afghan and U.S.-led forces have inflicted heavy casualties on insurgents in a battle, the Afghan Defence Ministry said on Monday, but locals said 22 civilians were killed.

The U.S. military and the Defence Ministry said there were no reports of civilian casualties in the battle against fighters of a pro-Taliban militant faction on Sunday in the eastern province of Nuristan near the Pakistani border.

But Rahmatullah Rashidi, head of a legislative provincial council in Nuristan, said Taliban had been in the area but had fled, and civilians were killed in U.S. bombing.

1 thought on “22 Afghan civilians killed by NATO

  1. Bush gets an earful from Afghan governors
    AFP
    Wednesday, April 09, 2008 11:52:41 AM Oman Time

    WASHINGTON –– Eight Afghan governors met Tuesday with US President George W. Bush to tell him a few unpleasant truths about the plight of their country as coalition forces fight terrorists and the Taliban.

    While grateful for the overthrow of the Taliban regime and the changes taking place since 2001, the governors complained about the slow pace of progress and how it was serving militants’ interests, and about the “excesses” of coalition forces.

    The eight visitors poured out their feelings in a very civil, one-hour dialogue with Bush, who is a former governor of Texas, and before a group of reporters, including AFP, at the White House.

    Asadullah Hamdam, Governor of Oruzgan province, was first to raise the thorny issue of indiscriminate arrests by coalition troops.

    Bush, attempting to soften the moment by appealing to their shared experience as governors, told the group that he understood. “They come and complain to you,” he said, remembering his years as Texas governor (1995-2000).

    But seeing his Afghan guests’ serious demeanor, Bush added haltingly: “When somebody gets arrested that shouldn’t have been arrested you file a complaint obviously …”

    “First, we don’t even know who is arrested,” answered Asadullah Hamdan in his native language. “If I just may,” Khost Governor Arsala Jamal politely cut in. “I think the issue is greater than that: we have 640 detainees in Bagram and like the governor said, all the governors are facing this problem.”

    “Special operations is the biggest, biggest challenge and (it has a) negative impact on the people’s mind in regard to coalition forces. There is no single bigger issue than that,” Jamal added.

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