"It appears that ANA (Afghan National Army) and coalition forces fired at clearly identified firing positions," said Maj. Chris Belcher, a coalition spokesman. "Remains of some people who apparently were civilians were found among insurgent fighters who were killed in firing positions in a trench line."
press release | AP
~Notice how the headline questions (with the word 'said') the existence of civilians killed by 'coalition' forces while the spokesman explains the "remains of some people" (women & children?).
You'ld think they'ld learn to avoid 'clearly identified firing positions' by now.
AP (US military?) says 30 killed & wounded, Afghan villagers (the local AP/Afghan reporter??) says 100. Who wants to bet the actual number is closer to 30 than 100? WIth 2-to-1 odds?
Winning the hearts and minds in that other American funded and inspired budding democracy.
>Update:
Witnesses claim a village in British-run Helmand was bombed for three hours...in the Gereshk district late on Friday followed an attempted ambush by the Taliban on a joint US-Afghan military convoy
A count by the United Nations and an umbrella organisation of Afghan and international aid groups shows the number of civilians killed by international forces was slightly greater than the number killed by insurgents in the first half of the year.
Up to 80 Civilians Dead" After US Air Strikes in Afghanistan By Jason Burke | The Observer
Posted by Stubbornson at June 30, 2007 08:31 AM