Reports say at least 25 Afghan civilians have been killed in a NATO airstrike on a compound in Nahr-e-Saraj, a district in Helmand province.
The Afghan civilians have been killed on Monday, apparently during a NATO airstrike.
“Taliban were using the compound as a firing position when combined forces, unaware of the possible presence of civilians, directed air assets against it,” NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) claimed on Tuesday.
Earlier, NATO had claimed that only four civilians, including two women, a child and an elderly man were the victims of the attack.
NATO says the troops came to know about the presence of civilians, only after they entered the compound.
NATO officials in Afghanistan say they are investigating the recent death of civilians.
The probe comes as the US commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan has assured a traditional assembly of Afghan leaders that his troops are making utmost efforts to avoid civilian casualties.
Civilian deaths at the hands of foreign forces have been a source of increasing friction between Afghans and NATO.
Meanwhile, Press TV has learned that local people held a demonstration in the region against foreign troops. They managed to block the road linking the two provinces of Helmand and Kandahar for several hours.
“Taliban were using the compound as a firing position when combined forces, unaware of the possible presence of civilians, directed air assets against it,” NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) claimed on Tuesday.
Earlier, NATO had claimed that only four civilians, including two women, a child and an elderly man were the victims of the attack.
NATO says the troops came to know about the presence of civilians, only after they entered the compound.
NATO officials in Afghanistan say they are investigating the recent death of civilians.
The probe comes as the US commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan has assured a traditional assembly of Afghan leaders that his troops are making utmost efforts to avoid civilian casualties.
Civilian deaths at the hands of foreign forces have been a source of increasing friction between Afghans and NATO.
Meanwhile, Press TV has learned that local people held a demonstration in the region against foreign troops. They managed to block the road linking the two provinces of Helmand and Kandahar for several hours.
Source: Press TV
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