[Peace-discuss] Obama celebrates Memorial Day with dead children

[C. G. Estabrook]

Nato-Led Airstrike Kills 12 Afghan Children

1:52am UK, Monday May 30, 2011

Twelve children and two women have been killed in a Nato airstrike in 
Afghanistan, according to local officials.

The tragedy happened in Nawzad district in southwest Helmand province late on 
Saturday.

Dawood Ahmadi, a spokesman for the provincial government, said Nato was 
targeting insurgents but instead struck two homes, killing two women, five girls 
and seven boys.

Coalition officials later said the insurgents took over a compound which housed 
the civilians.

Some of the children were under two years old. A further six people were 
reportedly injured in the bombardment.

Distraught father Noor Agha said: "My house was bombarded in the middle of the 
night and my children were killed. The Taliban were far away from my home, why 
was my house bombed?"

The strike apparently followed an attack by militants on a US Marine base in 
Nawzad earlier on Saturday.

The Helmand Province has been home to some of the bloodiest conflicts in recent 
years.

Helmand Province has been home to some of the bloodiest conflicts in recent years

The deaths have bene condemned by Afghan president Hamid Karzai who said he had 
warned US and Nato troops that their "arbitrary operations" were killing 
innocent people every day.

He said in a statement the incident was "a big mistake". He added: "It shows 
that attention is not being paid."

International Security Assistance Force Commander Regional Command South West 
Major General John Toolan said: "On behalf of the coalition, I offer our 
heartfelt apologies to the families and friends of those killed.

"I ask that the Afghan people continue to trust and assist their security 
forces, so that together we can stop the senseless killing brought upon us by an 
enemy who wants to exploit the Afghan people through fear and violence."


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