Local Afghan officials say at least three civilians– including a woman and two children — have been killed in a US-led airstrike in the country’s troubled east.
A spokesman for the governor of Afghanistan’s southeastern Khost province said the incident took place in the Zani Kheil area on Monday night.
The official added that a helicopter belonging to US-led foreign forces opened fire on a house during a training mission.
Civilian casualties caused by foreign forces have fuelled anti-American sentiment in Afghanistan.
Thousands of people have died in US-led airstrikes in Afghanistan since the invasion of the country.
A large number of Afghan civilians, including many women and children, have been also killed during night raids by foreign forces and CIA-run killer drone strikes.
The Afghan government has repeatedly called on foreign forces to stop the airstrikes on residential areas.
Civilian casualties caused by foreign forces have been a major source of tension between Kabul and Washington.
The casualties inflicted by US-led troops have sparked massive anti-US protests in the past.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but insecurity continues to rise across the country, despite the presence of thousands of US-led troops.
The US is now pushing the Afghan government to sign a security deal to allow US troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has warned that he will not allow continued foreign presence if it means more bombs and civilian killings.
JR/PR
No comments:
Post a Comment