Isaf Commander Apologizes For Airstrike Which Killed Afghan Civilians

[News_Editor]

ISAF commander apologizes for airstrike which killed Afghan civilians < br />

2012-06-10 07:01:33 GMT+7 (ICT)

PUL-I-ALAM, AFGHANISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- U.S. General John R. Allen, the commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, on Friday apologized for a coalition airstrike earlier this week which resulted in the deaths of at least eighteen civilians.

Allen visited Logar province on Friday to personally deliver his condolences to the provincial governor, parliament leaders, provincial council leadership, and village elders. "I am here not only as the Commander of the Coalition forces, but also as a father to apologize for the tragedy that occurred two days ago," he said. "Additionally, I am committed to ensuring we do the right thing for the families of those we inadvertently harmed, as well as for the community in which they lived."

The incident happened on early Wednesday morning in the Baraki Barak district of Logar province during a coalition operation to detain a local Taliban leader. ISAF acknowledged on Friday that it was responsible for the "unintended, but nonetheless tragic, death of Afghan civilians."

But despite having said it completed its initial assessment of the circumstances surrounding the incident, the multinational force refused to release its own details about the number of civilian casualties. "ISAF is still investigating the situation, and the numbers of individuals who were killed and wounded," ISAF spokeswoman Lori Hodge said on Saturday.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has strongly condemned the coalition airstrike and cut short his trip to China to deal with the aftermath, said on Saturday that Allen agreed with his demands and 'promised' him the coalition will no longer carry out airstrikes in residential areas.

Afghan officials previously confirmed at least eighteen civilians were killed in the airstrike, including seven children, five women and six men. In addition to an unknown number of civilian casualties and several insurgents, ISAF has only confirmed two civilian women were injured in the incident. They were both taken to a medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries.

The multinational force on Wednesday said it carried out the airstrike after insurgents attacked Afghan and coalition troops with small-arms fire and a grenade during an operation to capture a local Taliban leader. "The security force returned fire and requested a precision airstrike," ISAF said at the time. Afghan officials have said the insurgents may have been hiding in the houses of Afghan civilians while they attacked coalition forces.

Following the deadly airstrike, residents in the affected area went to Pul-i-Alam where they protested in front of the governor's office. The protesters were carrying the bodies of the victims and chanted slogans such as "death to America", "death to the Afghan government", "death to Hamid Karzai" and "death to [u.S. President] Barack Obama."

Last month, at least 20 civilians were killed when coalition forces carried out two separate airstrikes in the southern and northwestern regions of Afghanistan. In one of the incidents, an ISAF helicopter targeted a militant hideout in Helmand province but accidentally struck a residential house, killing a family.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-06-10

[Colin Yai]

Yeah the apology slots in quite nicely with all the apologetic words the Taliban have uttered when their Suicide Bombers blow Afghan Women and Children to pieces .

[folium]

Yeah the apology slots in quite nicely with all the apologetic words the Taliban have uttered when their Suicide Bombers blow Afghan Women and Children to pieces .

ISAF wants to be and tries to be the "good" guys and not just terrorist vermin. Screw-ups happen, it's the nature of warfare and ISAF are the foreigners so there's hypocrisy, double standards etc etc. Nature of the beast, suck it up or move on!

[Colin Yai]

Yeah the apology slots in quite nicely with all the apologetic words the Taliban have uttered when their Suicide Bombers blow Afghan Women and Children to pieces .

ISAF wants to be and tries to be the "good" guys and not just terrorist vermin. Screw-ups happen, it's the nature of warfare and ISAF are the foreigners so there's hypocrisy, double standards etc etc. Nature of the beast, suck it up or move on!

Of Course screw ups happen Folium , but there is nothing accidental about a Suicide Bomber walking up to a crowd and then detonating The 10 kgs of Semtex strapped to his body .

[folium]

Yeah the apology slots in quite nicely with all the apologetic words the Taliban have uttered when their Suicide Bombers blow Afghan Women and Children to pieces .

ISAF wants to be and tries to be the "good" guys and not just terrorist vermin. Screw-ups happen, it's the nature of warfare and ISAF are the foreigners so there's hypocrisy, double standards etc etc. Nature of the beast, suck it up or move on!

Of Course screw ups happen Folium , but there is nothing accidental about a Suicide Bomber walking up to a crowd and then detonating The 10 kgs of Semtex strapped to his body .

I was referring to screw ups by ISAF.

[Colin Yai]

[media=]

[/media] I just wonder if the Taliban apologized for this cock up, they was plainly targeting the police chief ,the dead and maimed Afghan Civilians were just incidental and of no consequence eh ! Edited June 10, 2012 by Colin Yai

[JUDAS]

ISAF apologizes when it screws up. The Taliban apologize for nothing. Some draw a direct comparison between the two, but I'm happy that we don't take our lead from the Taliban when it comes to doing the right thing. ISAF acted correctly in issuing an apology, as it clearly should.

[Colin Yai]

ISAF apologizes when it screws up. The Taliban apologize for nothing. Some draw a direct comparison between the two, but I'm happy that we don't take our lead from the Taliban when it comes to doing the right thing. ISAF acted correctly in issuing an apology, as it clearly should.

Judas .in no way was I criticizing ISAF for apologizing , I was merely highlighting the difference .

[folium]

ISAF apologizes when it screws up. The Taliban apologize for nothing. Some draw a direct comparison between the two, but I'm happy that we don't take our lead from the Taliban when it comes to doing the right thing. ISAF acted correctly in issuing an apology, as it clearly should.

Judas .in no way was I criticizing ISAF for apologizing , I was merely highlighting the difference .

Basically this is all rather pointless as the right thing to do is to apologize and make amends when screw ups happen as ISAF does, while no one expects a terrorist organization to apologize whatever the terrorists religion, ethnicity or shoe size. Don't recall the PIRA, Red Brigades, Unabomber or JRA doing much apologizing. That's why they rate as scum.

[JUDAS]

ISAF apologizes when it screws up. The Taliban apologize for nothing. Some draw a direct comparison between the two, but I'm happy that we don't take our lead from the Taliban when it comes to doing the right thing. ISAF acted correctly in issuing an apology, as it clearly should.

Judas .in no way was I criticizing ISAF for apologizing , I was merely highlighting the difference .

I apologize for misinterpreting you post Colin.

[Colin Yai]

ISAF apologizes when it screws up. The Taliban apologize for nothing. Some draw a direct comparison between the two, but I'm happy that we don't take our lead from the Taliban when it comes to doing the right thing. ISAF acted correctly in issuing an apology, as it clearly should.

Judas .in no way was I criticizing ISAF for apologizing , I was merely highlighting the difference .

I apologize for misinterpreting you post Colin.

No probs there Judas ,I suppose I could have put it better than I did looking back at my post's Edited June 10, 2012 by Colin Yai