KABUL: Afghan officials say an apparent NATO airstrike has killed 15 people--nine of them civilians, including women and children --in an eastern province where the Taliban are strong. NATO, however, says 10 insurgents were killed. Kunar province police chief Abdul Habib Sayed Khaili says the airstrike hit a pickup truck soon after three Arab and three Afghan militants boarded it Saturday evening. He said some reports called it a drone strike. But NATO spokeswoman 1st Lt. AnnMarie Annicelli said Sunday that it was a precision airstrike that killed 10 ``enemy forces'' and that she had no reports of civilians dying. Civilian deaths in NATO operations have long been a sore point between Afghanistan and the U.S.-led troops here.
Sunday, 8 September 2013
Afghan police says NATO airstrike kills 9 civilians amid 15
KABUL: Afghan officials say an apparent NATO airstrike has killed 15 people--nine of them civilians, including women and children --in an eastern province where the Taliban are strong. NATO, however, says 10 insurgents were killed. Kunar province police chief Abdul Habib Sayed Khaili says the airstrike hit a pickup truck soon after three Arab and three Afghan militants boarded it Saturday evening. He said some reports called it a drone strike. But NATO spokeswoman 1st Lt. AnnMarie Annicelli said Sunday that it was a precision airstrike that killed 10 ``enemy forces'' and that she had no reports of civilians dying. Civilian deaths in NATO operations have long been a sore point between Afghanistan and the U.S.-led troops here.