US comments on deadly bombing incident + File
(1 Jul 2002) APTN Bagram, Afghanistan - 01 July 2002 1. Wide shot US military spokesman Colonel Roger King 2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Colonel Roger King, US military spokesman: "A coalition reconnaissance operation took place in Uruzgan province north of the city of Kandahar during the night of June 30th/July 1st. We understand that there were some civilian casualties during the operation. We do not yet know how many casualties or how they occurred. Four injured civilian personnel were evacuated by US forces and are being treated. The US government extends its deepest sympathies to those who may have lost loved ones as a result of this incident and to those who may have suffered any injuries. Coalition military forces take extraordinary measures to protect against civilian casualties. The United States and the rest of the coalition countries are conducting a complete investigation into this incident." 5. Cutaway, podium 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Colonel Roger King, US military spokesman: "As far as I know there was no wedding party. Coalition forces were moving to conduct an operation. They came under fire they called in close air support anti-aircraft fire was fired at the aircraft and those targets were engaged." 7. Mid shot reporters 8. Cutaway badge on uniform 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Colonel Roger King, US military spokesman: "Any time there are inadvertent causalities it increases the difficulty of the operations, because we have to work with the civilian populace in order to be successful, so that's basically all I can say on that, so it will make things more difficult, obviously." 10. Cutaway journalists 12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Colonel Roger King, US military spokesman: "I'm not sure what the depth of the investigation is and where all the different pieces are. All I know is we're sending a group from here there will be officials from the Afghan government who will be part of this party, officers from the staff of the task force and two reporters." POOL North Carolina, US - 21 November 2001 13. Tilt down from AC-130 gunship to US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld APTN Near Jabal Saraj, Afghanistan - 12 November 2001 14. Various B-52 bombers dropping bombs STORYLINE: US helicopter gunships and jets attacked a house in Afghanistan on Monday while a wedding was under way, killing and injuring scores, witnesses and hospital officials said. US officials said an AC-130 gunship and a B-52 launched an attack after American forces came under fire but reports of the incident were conflicting, with some estimates of the dead surpassed 100. Bismullah, communications chief of Uruzgan province where the attack occurred, said Afghans were firing weapons in the area during the wedding, as is common in rural Afghanistan. He said US planes attacked, killing about 40 people and injuring 70. At Bagram air base north of Kabul, US military spokesman Colonel Roger King said an AC-130 gunship, a B-52 bomber and other aircraft joined the attack after coalition ground forces came under fire. He said four people who were injured were evacuated and were being treated by US forces. King said he was not aware of any wedding party and could give no further details on the number of casualties. But added that US and Afghan investigators would be sent to the area. Hospital officials said a number of wounded were being brought to Kandahar. Most of the dead and injured were women and children, they said. 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...
