16 dead in U.S.-Afghan militant violence
By RAHIM FAIEZ
Associated Press
U.S. Marine Special Forces fleeing a militant ambush opened fire on civilian cars and pedestrians on a busy highway in eastern Afghanistan, wounded Afghans said. Up to 16 people were killed and 34 wounded in the violence, officials said.
More than a half dozen Afghans recuperating from bullet wounds told The Associated Press that the U.S. forces fired indiscriminately along at least a six-mile stretch of one of eastern Afghanistan's busiest highways — a route often filled not only with cars and trucks but Afghans on foot and bicycles.
"They were firing everywhere, and they even opened fire on 14 to 15 vehicles passing on the highway," said Tur Gul, 38, who was standing on the roadside by a gas station and was shot twice in his right hand. "They opened fire on everybody, the ones inside the vehicles and the ones on foot."
After a suicide attack by an explosives-filled minivan, the Americans treated every car and person along the highway as a potential attacker, though none of the people showed hostile intent, said Mohammad Khan Katawazi, the district chief of Shinwar.
(Continued here.)
Associated Press
U.S. Marine Special Forces fleeing a militant ambush opened fire on civilian cars and pedestrians on a busy highway in eastern Afghanistan, wounded Afghans said. Up to 16 people were killed and 34 wounded in the violence, officials said.
More than a half dozen Afghans recuperating from bullet wounds told The Associated Press that the U.S. forces fired indiscriminately along at least a six-mile stretch of one of eastern Afghanistan's busiest highways — a route often filled not only with cars and trucks but Afghans on foot and bicycles.
"They were firing everywhere, and they even opened fire on 14 to 15 vehicles passing on the highway," said Tur Gul, 38, who was standing on the roadside by a gas station and was shot twice in his right hand. "They opened fire on everybody, the ones inside the vehicles and the ones on foot."
After a suicide attack by an explosives-filled minivan, the Americans treated every car and person along the highway as a potential attacker, though none of the people showed hostile intent, said Mohammad Khan Katawazi, the district chief of Shinwar.
(Continued here.)
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1 Comments:
After reading your link to The Salon story "Watching Afghanistan Fall" earlier this week, we should not be surprised that civilians are caught in the crosshairs. This story is getting more attention because of where it is, but obviously this has happened before. The Salon story talked about how the Talibon has forced the American troops to change routes and methods ... as the Talibon is winning the hearts of the tribal groups.
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