Twelve Children Among Fatalities:
U.S. Airstrike Kills 20 Afghan Civilians in Kunar
ASADABAD, Afghanistan (Dispatches) -- At least 20 Afghan civilians, including 12 children, were killed in a U.S. airstrike purportedly targeting a Taliban commander in the eastern province of Kunar late on Friday, local officials said.
The strike, against local Taliban commander Sharif Mawiya, was the latest in a series of attacks which have killed civilians.
The attacks have raised the risk of civilian casualties and Abdul Latif Fazly, a member of the provincial council, said eight women and 12 children were killed and more than 15 others wounded in Friday’s airstrike.
However a spokeswoman for the NATO-led "Resolute Support” mission denied that there were civilian deaths, although she said some civilians were wounded.
She said U.S. airstrikes were supporting the new Afghan army strategy of targeting the entire Taliban organization, from low level fighters to high ranking leaders.
"We have reports over 40 Taliban fighters were killed in the Afghan-led operations, supported by U.S. airstrikes in Kunar province,” claimed Richardson.
Kunar governor Abdul Satar Mirzakwal said an operation by Afghan forces in Sheltan district killed 38 Taliban and al Qaeda members, including four foreign nationals, and wounded 12 more. He said the operation targeted Sharif Mawiya, a commander believed to be a facilitator with Al-Qaeda militants.
He said an unknown number of civilians were hit in the U.S. airstrike but had no casualty details.
"We know that a number of civilians, including women and children have been killed but we are sending a fact finding team,” he said.
The number of Afghan civilians killed in U.S. airstrikes has risen sharply this year as Western-backed forces have stepped up aerial operations.
According to United Nations figures, 313 civilians were killed and 336 wounded in airstrikes by U.S. forces in the nine months to the end of September, a 39 percent increase from the same period in 2017.
Airstrike casualties accounted for eight percent of the total 8,050 civilian casualties during the period.
The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001, but it has failed to restore security to the country plagued by militancy and terrorism.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is now negotiating with the Taliban without the participation of the Afghan government.
Over 8,000 people lost their lives or were wounded in Afghanistan between January and September this year, with the country on track to be deadlier than Syria in 2018.
In 2017, Washington added thousands of additional troops to its forces in Afghanistan. It claims the American troops are deployed in Afghanistan to train Afghan forces and conduct counter-terrorism missions against militant groups.
The strike, against local Taliban commander Sharif Mawiya, was the latest in a series of attacks which have killed civilians.
The attacks have raised the risk of civilian casualties and Abdul Latif Fazly, a member of the provincial council, said eight women and 12 children were killed and more than 15 others wounded in Friday’s airstrike.
However a spokeswoman for the NATO-led "Resolute Support” mission denied that there were civilian deaths, although she said some civilians were wounded.
She said U.S. airstrikes were supporting the new Afghan army strategy of targeting the entire Taliban organization, from low level fighters to high ranking leaders.
"We have reports over 40 Taliban fighters were killed in the Afghan-led operations, supported by U.S. airstrikes in Kunar province,” claimed Richardson.
Kunar governor Abdul Satar Mirzakwal said an operation by Afghan forces in Sheltan district killed 38 Taliban and al Qaeda members, including four foreign nationals, and wounded 12 more. He said the operation targeted Sharif Mawiya, a commander believed to be a facilitator with Al-Qaeda militants.
He said an unknown number of civilians were hit in the U.S. airstrike but had no casualty details.
"We know that a number of civilians, including women and children have been killed but we are sending a fact finding team,” he said.
The number of Afghan civilians killed in U.S. airstrikes has risen sharply this year as Western-backed forces have stepped up aerial operations.
According to United Nations figures, 313 civilians were killed and 336 wounded in airstrikes by U.S. forces in the nine months to the end of September, a 39 percent increase from the same period in 2017.
Airstrike casualties accounted for eight percent of the total 8,050 civilian casualties during the period.
The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001, but it has failed to restore security to the country plagued by militancy and terrorism.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is now negotiating with the Taliban without the participation of the Afghan government.
Over 8,000 people lost their lives or were wounded in Afghanistan between January and September this year, with the country on track to be deadlier than Syria in 2018.
In 2017, Washington added thousands of additional troops to its forces in Afghanistan. It claims the American troops are deployed in Afghanistan to train Afghan forces and conduct counter-terrorism missions against militant groups.