Dozens of Afghan civilians killed in air strikes: residents

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Dozens of Afghan civilians killed in air strikes: residents
Fri Jul 27, 2007 4:12AM EDT

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Dozens of civilians,
including women and children, have been killed in two air
strikes by foreign troops in southern Afghanistan, residents
and a member of parliament from the region said on Friday.

One of the raids by NATO hit houses in the Girishk district
of Helmand province on Thursday evening, killing up to 50
civilians, a group of some 20 residents reported to
journalists in Kandahar, the main city in the south.

Wali Jan Sabri, a parliamentarian from Helmand, said he
had credible information that between 50 to 60 civilians
had been killed in a battle between the Taliban and NATO
forces in Girishk.

-snip-

A spokesman for British forces in Helmand said there was
an on going operation in the province, but denied there
had been any civilian casualties around Girishk.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSISL26107920070727

---

Source: Associated Press

28 Afghans Killed in South

Friday July 27, 2007 9:46 AM

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - NATO and Afghan troops
clashed with Taliban insurgents and called in airstrikes,
killing at least 50 suspected militants and dozens of
civilians, local officials and villagers said Friday.

The fighting started Thursday night in the village of
Kumbarak in Helmand province, and NATO forces told
residents to evacuate their homes because of the
clashes, said Gereshk district chief Abdul Manaf Khan.

The airstrikes killed 50 Taliban and 28 civilians, including
women and children, Khan said, citing villagers' reports.
He said the bodies have already been buried, and the
fighting continued Friday.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force said it
did not have any information about the incident and was
looking into it.


Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6809428,00.html