Afghan president: US forces killed 16 civilians

[rug]

31 mins ago

KABUL, Afghanistan – President Hamid Karzai has condemned a U.S. operation he says killed 16 Afghan civilians, while hundreds of villagers denounced the American military during an angry demonstration.

Karzai said the killing of innocent Afghans "is strengthening the terrorists."

He also announced that his Ministry of Defense sent to Washington a draft technical agreement — also sent to NATO headquarters — that seeks to give Afghanistan more oversight over U.S. military operations.

The president's criticism follows a U.S. raid early Saturday that American officials said killed 15 armed militants. Afghan officials said those killed were civilians. Demonstrators rallied in Laghman province Sunday, near the site of the raid.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090125/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan

[elleng]

1. Good luck to Holbrooke.

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