UN: 60 Kids among 90 Afghans Killed in US-Led Strikes Last Week
Source: Al-Manar TV, 26-8-2008
A United Nations team has found "convincing evidence" that 90 civilians, including 60 children, were killed in US-led occupation air strikes last week, the body's representative in Afghanistan said Tuesday.
The UN Assistance Mission Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) human rights team was sent to Shindand district of the western province of Herat after local claims that scores of civilians were killed in Friday's strikes.
"Investigations by UNAMA 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," special representative Kai Eide said in a statement.
The US-led occupation acknowledged earlier that five civilians - two women and three children - were killed in air strikes on Taliban rebels which an Afghan investigation has found killed 90 civilians.
The occupation forces have previously insisted that only 30 Taliban, including a well-known commander, were killed in the strikes Friday on Azizabad village in the western province of Herat. But an ongoing investigation had revealed there had been civilians killed - although not the high numbers found by the Afghan investigation, US Lieutenant Nathan Perry claimed.
"Among the 30 bodies, five of them we believe now were not combatants - two women and three children," Perry said from the main US occupation military base at Bagram north of Kabul. "We believe those to be family members of the targeted militant, Mullah Sadiq. He was important for us to target," he said, without giving details. The military was still investigating, Perry claimed. A commission appointed by President Hamid Karzai visited the area at the weekend and said it found that the strikes had destroyed about 15 houses and killed more than 90 civilians - most of them women and children. The government demanded Monday a review of rules regulating the international military presence in Afghanistan, complaining that demands for civilian casualties in military strikes to be stopped had seen little change.
The Pentagon said the strike was a "legitimate" strike on Taliban forces. "Unfortunately there were some civilian casualties, although that figure is in dispute, I would say. But this is why it is being investigated," said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman.
A United Nations team has found "convincing evidence" that 90 civilians, including 60 children, were killed in US-led occupation air strikes last week, the body's representative in Afghanistan said Tuesday.
The UN Assistance Mission Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) human rights team was sent to Shindand district of the western province of Herat after local claims that scores of civilians were killed in Friday's strikes.
"Investigations by UNAMA 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," special representative Kai Eide said in a statement.
The US-led occupation acknowledged earlier that five civilians - two women and three children - were killed in air strikes on Taliban rebels which an Afghan investigation has found killed 90 civilians.
The occupation forces have previously insisted that only 30 Taliban, including a well-known commander, were killed in the strikes Friday on Azizabad village in the western province of Herat. But an ongoing investigation had revealed there had been civilians killed - although not the high numbers found by the Afghan investigation, US Lieutenant Nathan Perry claimed.
"Among the 30 bodies, five of them we believe now were not combatants - two women and three children," Perry said from the main US occupation military base at Bagram north of Kabul. "We believe those to be family members of the targeted militant, Mullah Sadiq. He was important for us to target," he said, without giving details. The military was still investigating, Perry claimed. A commission appointed by President Hamid Karzai visited the area at the weekend and said it found that the strikes had destroyed about 15 houses and killed more than 90 civilians - most of them women and children. The government demanded Monday a review of rules regulating the international military presence in Afghanistan, complaining that demands for civilian casualties in military strikes to be stopped had seen little change.
The Pentagon said the strike was a "legitimate" strike on Taliban forces. "Unfortunately there were some civilian casualties, although that figure is in dispute, I would say. But this is why it is being investigated," said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman.
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