Nine Afghan cops killed by mistake | World News - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Nine Afghan cops killed by mistake

Reuters | By, Kabul
Jul 20, 2008 10:24 PM IST

A foreign airstrike kills nine Afghan policemen in western Afghanistan overnight after a clash in which both sides mistook the other for Taliban militants.

A foreign airstrike killed nine Afghan policemen in western Afghanistan overnight after a clash in which both sides mistook the other for Taliban militants, Afghan officials said on Sunday.

HT Image
HT Image

The incident is certain to reinforce Afghan perceptions that international troops do not take enough care to avoid hurting innocents and comes after a string of mistakes that Afghan officials say killed dozens of civilians.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Clashes broke out between Afghan police and international troops in the Anar Dara district of Farah province, with both sides thinking the other were Taliban militants, the deputy provincial governor Mohammad Younus Rasuli said.

The foreign troops called in airstrikes on the police post that killed nine policemen and wounded four others, including the district police chief, he said.

Both NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the separate US-led coalition force in Afghanistan said they were aware of an incident in Farah, but could not confirm any details of what had happened.

Meanwhile, ISAF troops accidentally killed four Afghan civilians in a mortar attack overnight in the Barmal district of the eastern province of Paktika, close to the Pakistani border, the force said. “An ISAF unit fired two mortar rounds, which landed nearly 1km away from the intended target,” ISAF said in a statement. “Shortly afterwards wounded civilians presented themselves for treatment at an ISAF base, and a helicopter medical evacuation mission was immediately launched to assist.” There were another three unconfirmed deaths, it said, and four civilians were also wounded in the attack.

“ISAF deeply regrets this accident, and an investigation as to the exact circumstances of this tragic event is now under way,” the statement said.

Afghan officials say US-led coalition airstrikes killed more than 60 Afghan civilians, many of them women and children, in the east of the country earlier this month. US forces have launched investigations into the incidents.

While the ISAF denied reports by Afghan officials that it killed 50 civilians in the west of the country last week, many Afghans believe foreign troops do not take enough care when launching attacks.

Mostly US troops in the east of the country are battling a sharp rise in violence along the Pakistani border this year, which they put down to de facto ceasefires between militants and the military in Pakistan’s tribal belt which allow the Taliban sanctuaries from which to launch more strikes into Afghan soil.

Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! - Login Now!

Get Latest World News along with Latest News from India at Hindustan Times.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On