Teenager killed by troops during shootout in Afghanistan
31/03/2009 14:21 KABUL, March 31 (RIA Novosti) - NATO forces inadvertently killed a 15-year-old civilian overnight during a shootout with Afghan militants in the eastern province of Khost, national radio said on Tuesday.
Salam Watandar radio cited a NATO spokesman in the southeastern province as saying that the teenager was accidently shot dead during the exchange of fire. Four armed Afghan militants were taken prisoner.
During 2008, more than 2,100 Afghan civilians are thought to have died during military operations in Afghanistan, 60% of whom were killed by militants, and 40% by NATO-led forces, according to official statistics.
The Taliban militant regime was ousted by the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, but the Central Asian state has experienced a rise in violence in recent years, with skirmishes and suicide bomb attacks being reported daily.
The United States announced plans to send thousands of more troops to the country to try and restore stability in the country.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
