U.S. Air Strike in Afghanistan 'Kills 25 Civilians'

Jun 23, 04:27 PM

Current Headlines: TWENTY-FIVE Afghan civilians were killed in U.S.

air strikes called in by British troops who had come under attack from Taliban fighters, it was claimed yesterday.

A local police chief said nine women, three babies and the mullah of a local mosque were among the civilians killed alongside 20 militants in the Gereshk district of Helmand province.

Mohammad Hussein Andiwal said the Taliban had used civilian houses for cover after launching attacks on British troops in the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force.

Nato is investigating the claims. Isaf said the air strikes were called in on Thursday night after 30 Taliban fighters were identified running into a compound following an 'intense' firefight.

A British military spokesman for Isaf, Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Mayo, said: 'If civilians had been identified in the area, the air strike would not have gone ahead.

'Isaf have demonstrated this restraint on a number of occasions and goes to great lengths to minimise civilian casualties.' If confirmed, the casualties in Gereshk would bring the number of civilians killed in Nato or U.S.- led military operations this year to 177, according to a tally compiled by the Associated Press news agency..

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