Sunday, September 16, 2012

Washington-backed Afghan Leader Condemns Killing of Civilians

Karzai condemns killing of civilians by US-led forces

Sun Sep 16, 2012 2:24PM GMT
presstv.ir

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has stronly condemned the killing of civilians in two airstrikes carried out by US-led forces in the country’s eastern provinces of Laghman and Kunar.

The condemnation comes after at least 24 people, including eight women, were killed in two US-led airstrikes on the two provinces on Sunday.

Local witnesses said on Sunday that at least eight women have lost their lives and several others were wounded in an overnight attack in Laghman.

The US-led military coalition has confirmed the airstrike.

Sixteen other Afghans were also killed in another airstrike carried out in Kunar on Sunday.

Many civilians have lost their lives in the US-led operations in various parts of Afghanistan over the past months, with Afghans becoming increasingly outraged at the seemingly endless number of the deadly assaults.

The United Nations announced on February 4 that 2011 was the deadliest year on record for Afghan civilians. The death toll for the civilians rose eight percent compared to the year before and was roughly double the figure for 2007.

The US claims that its airstrikes target militants, but local sources say civilians have been the main victims of the attacks.

The US-led war in Afghanistan, which has caused record-high civilian and military casualties, has become the longest military conflict in the American history.

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