Friday, September 4, 2009

NATO Airstrike in Afghanistan Kills Up to 80 Civilians

NATO forces in Afghanistan were investigating whether civilians were among up to 80+ people burned to death when they carried out an air strike against two hijacked fuel tankers on Friday. Nato officials insisted the strike had killed a large number of militants, but said they were investigating the reports that civilians had died as well. A spokesman for the Nato forces said two tankers were stolen at 10pm on Thursday evening by a band of Taliban guerrillas. The tiny village of Omar Kheil, 15 miles south of Kunduzonce was a calm region of northern Afghanistan that has recently slipped under control of insurgents, Afghan officials said.
Afghan officials said the stolen fuel tankers were being transported across a river to villages in Angorbagh, when one became stuck in the river. The Taliban fighters on top of the tanker called for villagers to take the fuel, who responded in scores, rushing with any available container that they had, including water buckets and pots for cooking oil. And then allegedly coalition aircraft delivered the bombs.

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