Back to the topic!;-)
Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:26:00
Pentagon Investigation of Civilian Deaths in Afghanistan at Odds With Other Accounts
Pentagon issued a statement on Tuesday denying that scores of civilians had been killed in an airstrike in the village of Azizabad in Herat province, Afghanistan.
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The latest announcement on the completion of the investigation states, "Intense enemy fire justified actions taken by Afghan and U.S. forces during an Aug. 22 engagement in which several civilians and more than 30 Taliban fighters were killed in western Afghanistan". Combined Afghan and U.S. forces "began taking fire from Taliban militants", which "justified use of well-aimed small-arms fire and close-air support to defend the combined force" that killed "30 to 35 Taliban militants". The investigation, the Pentagon said, also "revealed evidence suggesting a known Taliban commander, Mullah Sadiq, was among them". It acknowledges that "Five to seven civilians were killed", disputing the figure given by Afghan and U.N. officials of 90 civilian deaths.
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The news release notes that coalition forces were "denied entry into the village" after the attack. Thus, "No other evidence that may have been collected by other organizations was provided to the U.S. investigating officer and therefore could not be considered in the findings".
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The Pentagon's findings are contradicted by eyewitness reports from local Afghans and the findings of a U.N. investigation. Special envoy to Afghanistan Kai Eide said that the U.N. inquiry "found convincing evidence, based on the testimony of eyewitnesses and others, that some 90 civilians were killed, including 60 children, 15 women and 15 men. Fifteen other villagers were wounded. The destruction from aerial bombardment was clearly evident with seven to eight houses having been destroyed, with serious damage to many others. Local residents were able to confirm the number of casualties, including names, age and gender of the victims."
I highly recommend reading the full article: http://www.inteldaily.com/?c=149&a=8114
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So, whom should we believe? I'll go with the underdogs!!
Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:26:00
Pentagon Investigation of Civilian Deaths in Afghanistan at Odds With Other Accounts
Pentagon issued a statement on Tuesday denying that scores of civilians had been killed in an airstrike in the village of Azizabad in Herat province, Afghanistan.
.......
The latest announcement on the completion of the investigation states, "Intense enemy fire justified actions taken by Afghan and U.S. forces during an Aug. 22 engagement in which several civilians and more than 30 Taliban fighters were killed in western Afghanistan". Combined Afghan and U.S. forces "began taking fire from Taliban militants", which "justified use of well-aimed small-arms fire and close-air support to defend the combined force" that killed "30 to 35 Taliban militants". The investigation, the Pentagon said, also "revealed evidence suggesting a known Taliban commander, Mullah Sadiq, was among them". It acknowledges that "Five to seven civilians were killed", disputing the figure given by Afghan and U.N. officials of 90 civilian deaths.
-----
The news release notes that coalition forces were "denied entry into the village" after the attack. Thus, "No other evidence that may have been collected by other organizations was provided to the U.S. investigating officer and therefore could not be considered in the findings".
-----
The Pentagon's findings are contradicted by eyewitness reports from local Afghans and the findings of a U.N. investigation. Special envoy to Afghanistan Kai Eide said that the U.N. inquiry "found convincing evidence, based on the testimony of eyewitnesses and others, that some 90 civilians were killed, including 60 children, 15 women and 15 men. Fifteen other villagers were wounded. The destruction from aerial bombardment was clearly evident with seven to eight houses having been destroyed, with serious damage to many others. Local residents were able to confirm the number of casualties, including names, age and gender of the victims."
I highly recommend reading the full article: http://www.inteldaily.com/?c=149&a=8114
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So, whom should we believe? I'll go with the underdogs!!