At least 21 civilians killed by air strike, wounded in hospital
(9 May 2007) SHOTLIST 1. Wide of hospital in Helmand province 2. Mid shot of wounded man 3. Various of wounded men inside hospital 4. Hospital corridor 5. Mid of doctors 6. Victims' relations outside hospital 7. SOUNDBITE: (Pashto) Karim Agha, Relative of a victim: "I was the witness when the Taliban ambushed the coalition forces convoy and the coalition forces returned fire, by mistake some of our villagers were killed and wounded." 8. Ambulance driving along road STORYLINE: Airstrikes called in by US Special Forces soldiers fighting insurgents in southern Afghanistan killed at least 21 civilians, officials said on Wednesday. One coalition soldier was also killed. Helmand provincial Governor Assadullah Wafa said Taliban fighters sought shelter in villagers' homes during the fighting in the Sangin district on Tuesday evening, and that subsequent airstrikes killed 21 civilians, including several women and children. Karim Agha,a relative of one of the victims, said he saw the incident. "The Taliban ambushed the coalition forces convoy and the coalition forces returned fire, by mistake some of our villagers were killed and wounded," said Agha. The wounded civilians were seen receiving treatment at a hospital in the province. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly said more must be done to prevent civilian casualties during military operations, and he warned last week, after reports that 51 civilians were killed in the west, that Afghanistan "can no longer accept civilian casualties the way they occur." The US-led coalition said militants fired guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars at US Special Forces and Afghan soldiers on patrol 25 kilometres (15 miles) north of Sangin. Major William Mitchell, a spokesman for the US-led coalition, said troops killed a "significant" number of militants. More than 200 Taliban fighters gathered during the 16-hour fight, said Major Chris Belcher, another spokesman. A purported Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, said the group would "take revenge" for the killing of civilians. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
