U.S. Killed 90 in Afghan Village, Including 60 Children, U.N. Finds
KABUL, Afghanistan — A United Nations human rights team has found “convincing evidence” that 90 civilians — among them 60 children — were killed in airstrikes on a village in western Afghanistan on Friday, according to the United Nations mission in Kabul.
The United Nations statement adds pressure to the United States military, which maintains that 25 militants and 5 civilians were killed in the airstrikes, but has ordered an investigation after Afghan officials reported the higher civilian death toll.
The United Nations team visited the scene and interviewed survivors and local officials and elders, getting a name, age and gender of each person reported killed. The team reported that 15 people had been wounded in the airstrikes. The numbers closely match those given by a government commission sent from Kabul to investigate the bombing, which put the total dead at up to 95.
Mohammad Iqbal Safi, the head of the parliamentary defense committee and a member of the government commission, said the 60 children were 3 months old to 16 years old, all killed as they slept. “It was a heartbreaking scene,” he said.
The death toll may rise higher, because heavy lifting equipment is needed to uncover all the remains, said one Western official who had seen the United Nations report.
“This is a matter of grave concern to the United Nations,” Kai Eide, the United Nations special representative for Afghanistan, said in a statement. “It is vital that the international and Afghan military forces thoroughly review the conduct of this operation in order to prevent a repeat of this tragic incident.”
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Mr. Ahmad blamed United States Special Forces, who are training the Afghan Army and were present in the joint operation. “I can’t blame the Afghan National Army for the incident, as they had no authority for leading the operation,” he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/world/asia/27herat.html?hp
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This reminds me of the time the Allied bombers would throw their load on sleeping German kids without hesitation.
Has the world changed? Not one iota!!:-
-(
I hope this incident will produce some sharp consequences.... like, get out!
.
KABUL, Afghanistan — A United Nations human rights team has found “convincing evidence” that 90 civilians — among them 60 children — were killed in airstrikes on a village in western Afghanistan on Friday, according to the United Nations mission in Kabul.
The United Nations statement adds pressure to the United States military, which maintains that 25 militants and 5 civilians were killed in the airstrikes, but has ordered an investigation after Afghan officials reported the higher civilian death toll.
The United Nations team visited the scene and interviewed survivors and local officials and elders, getting a name, age and gender of each person reported killed. The team reported that 15 people had been wounded in the airstrikes. The numbers closely match those given by a government commission sent from Kabul to investigate the bombing, which put the total dead at up to 95.
Mohammad Iqbal Safi, the head of the parliamentary defense committee and a member of the government commission, said the 60 children were 3 months old to 16 years old, all killed as they slept. “It was a heartbreaking scene,” he said.
The death toll may rise higher, because heavy lifting equipment is needed to uncover all the remains, said one Western official who had seen the United Nations report.
“This is a matter of grave concern to the United Nations,” Kai Eide, the United Nations special representative for Afghanistan, said in a statement. “It is vital that the international and Afghan military forces thoroughly review the conduct of this operation in order to prevent a repeat of this tragic incident.”
......
Mr. Ahmad blamed United States Special Forces, who are training the Afghan Army and were present in the joint operation. “I can’t blame the Afghan National Army for the incident, as they had no authority for leading the operation,” he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/world/asia/27herat.html?hp
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This reminds me of the time the Allied bombers would throw their load on sleeping German kids without hesitation.
Has the world changed? Not one iota!!:-
-(I hope this incident will produce some sharp consequences.... like, get out!
.
