Civilians killed in air strike by NATO, Afghan official
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Kabul, April 14, IRNA -- An airstrike by NATO forces early Monday in mountainous eastern Afghanistan killed six civilians, including two children, a local Afghan official said.
Zalmay Yousufzai, the governor of Watapor district in Kunar province, said that NATO helicopters destroyed one house and damaged several others. In addition to the six civilians killed, he said, 14 were wounded. Four of the wounded were hospitalized, he said.
The airstrike followed an attack in Khost province last week by American-led forces that left at least four civilians dead.
Afghan and American military officials agreed this year to better coordinate airstrikes and raids in hopes of reducing civilian casualties.
Yousufzai said there had been 'no coordination with us' before Monday's raid.
The wounded at a nearby hospital included two men, a woman and a 14-year-old boy who said he had been told that four members of his family had been killed.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said that 'multiple intelligence sources' identified the dead as 'four to eight enemy fighters' and that the attack came after 'intelligence intercepts indicated the hostile intent of the enemy' to attack outposts.
A force spokesman said it would investigate whether there were civilian casualties.
"We deeply regret any possible civilian injuries caused by our operations against the enemy," said the spokesman, Capt. Mark Durkin.
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