Fresh U.S. air raid kills Afghan civilians: officials (Thurs.)

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Fresh U.S. air raid kills Afghan civilians: officials
Thu Nov 6, 2008 2:45am EST

By Sharafuddin Sharafyar

HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) - U.S.-led troops have
killed at least seven civilians in an air strike in
northwestern Afghanistan, officials said on Thursday,
a day after the president said warplanes had killed
40 civilians in the south.

President Hamid Karzai said the issue of civilian
casualties was the biggest source of tension with
his main backers, the United States, and called on
President-elect Barack Obama to make it his top
priority to stop the killings of innocents.

The air strike was called in after a joint convoy
of Afghan and U.S. forces came under an attack by
Taliban insurgents in Ghormach district of Badghis
province in the northwest late on Wednesday,
provincial officials said.

District chief Abdullah said seven civilians and
15 insurgents were killed in the raid, but the head
of the provincial council Qari Dawlat, quoting
villagers, put civilian deaths at around 30.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE4A51L120081106

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Yesterday: Karzai 'demands' Obama end civilian deaths after latest incident - AP via LBN