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Up to seven civilians died in US missile strike: coalition
Kabul (AFP) Sept 2, 2008 The US-led coalition in Afghanistan said Tuesday that its investigation into a controversial air strike alleged to have killed 90 civilians has found that only seven non-combatants died. The force defended its decision to strike the target in the western province of Herat last month, saying a known Taliban commander was in the area. A government commission which investigated the incident has said that 90 civilians including 60 children were killed in air strikes by the US-led force in the village of Azizabad on August 22. The United Nations, which also investigated the incident, backed the Afghan government's figures, suggesting that 90 civilians died. But the coalition took issue with that account and conducted its own probe. "The investigation found that 30-35 Taliban militants were killed including evidence suggesting a known Taliban commander, Mullah Sadiq, was among them," the coalition said. "In addition, five to seven civilians were killed," it added. The report said that the US-led troops, who were backed by Afghan security forces, had come under fire before calling in jet fighters in a "justified" response. "The intensity of the enemy fire justified use of well-aimed small-arms fire and close-air support to defend the combined force," the coalition statement said. The US military has offered to investigate the incident with the Afghan government and the United Nations. The US-backed government of President Hamid Karzai has demanded a review of rules regulating the presence of international forces following the Herat incident, which he strongly condemned. His government officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the new US statement Tuesday. The US military statement said the investigation included statements "from 30 participants both Afghan and US in the operation" as well as reports made by ground and air personnel "during the engagement." Topographic photographs of the area were also used in the probe. "The range in the casualty numbers (was) determined by observation of the enemy movements during the engagement as well as on-site observations immediately following the engagement," it added. The statement came the same day as the US-led force and the separate NATO-led force denied any involvement in a raid on a house in Kabul which killed four civilians including two children on Monday. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Share This Article With Planet Earth
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