US military say 9 insurgents killed in raid in S. Afghanistan
6/11/2008 18:03
The US-led Coalition forces in a statement released today said that Afghan
National Security Forces (ANSF) and Coalition forces killed 9 insurgents during
an extended patrol in Shah Wali Kott district of Kandahar province in the south
from Nov. 3 to Nov. 5.
Insurgents ambushed a coalition security patrol using
rifles, machine guns, rocket propelled grenades and mortars while ANSF and
Coalition forces responded with a variety of weapons, killing nine insurgents,
the statement said.
"Civilians reportedly attempted to leave the area, but
the insurgents forced them to remain as they continued to fire on the ANSF and
Coalition forces along the highway," it noted.
Moreover, the statement quoted
Matiwullah Khan, provincial police chief as saying that "several civilians were
reportedly injured while attempting to leave the area."
"It is unclear if
they were the victims of the high volume of insurgent direct and indirect fire,"
it said. "No ANSF or Coalition forces casualties were reported."
Meanwhile,
US Forces will launch a joint investigation with the Afghan government to look
into the civilian casualties in Shah Wali Kott district, the statement
said.
The Joint delegation consists of the Governor's office, National
Directorate of Security, the Regional Police Office, and an investigator with US
Forces in Afghanistan investigator, it said.
However, a statement issued by
Afghan Presidential Palace last night revealed that 40 civilians had been killed
and 28 others were injured in a Coalition air strike in Shah Wali kot
Monday.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai yesterday in a press conference
immediately after the announcement of the result of US Presidential polls called
for change in the strategy on Afghan war.
Karzai emphasized that war against
terrorism in Afghanistan's villages would not deliver as Afghansitan itself is a
victim of terrorism.
"And instead, the war on terror should be conducted in
areas where the sanctuaries of terrorists and their training centers exist,"he
added.
Hundreds of Afghan civilians have been killed in the US-led war on
terror in Afghansitan over the past nearly seven years and the most bloody one
was killing 91 non-combatants including women and children in Shindand district
of western Herat province in air strikes last August.
Spiraling conflicts and
Taliban-linked insurgency have claimed around 5,000 people with over 1500
civilians so far this year in strife-torn Afghanistan while Taliban insurgents
have vowed to intensify assaults against interests of Afghan government and
international troops before the coming winter.
Xinhua
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