US-led airstrike kills 15 Taliban militants in Afghanistan: Officials
Iran Press TV
Thu Jun 20, 2013 12:30PM GMT
A US-led airstrike has killed at least 15 suspected Taliban militants and injured several others in the troubled central-eastern region of Afghanistan, security sources say.
Local security officials said on Thursday the airstrikes happened in an area of Logar Province on Wednesday night.
The jet fighters conducted airstrikes after a group of militants targeted a US-led military base in the troubled region.
The Taliban militants claim they have killed a number of foreign troops during the deadly attack on the US-led outpost in the volatile area.
Local residents said several civilians, including women and children were also injured in the attacks.
The US-led foreign forces have not yet commented on the incident.
In late April, the Taliban announced the start of their annual "spring offensive" against US-led and Afghan forces, vowing a new wave of attacks across Afghanistan.
The militant group said it would use "every possible tactic" to inflict casualties on Afghan and US-led forces. They specifically mentioned insider attacks, and bomb attacks.
Washington claims that its airstrikes target militants, but local sources say civilians have been the main victims of the attacks.
The Afghan government has on numerous occasions warned Washington to stop attacks on innocent civilians.
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 US-led war in Afghanistan, which has caused record-high civilian and military casualties, has become the longest military conflict in the American history.
The announcement prompted the Afghan authorities to beef up security in major cities across the country, including the capital city of Kabul.
JR/KA
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