Monday, March 05, 2007

Karzai slams Afghan deaths after raid on U.S. force

KABUL, March 5 (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Monday condemned the deaths of 10 civilians shot by U.S. troops after an attack on their convoy over the weekend.

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No provincial or central government official has confirmed the U.S. military's account that the convoy came under rebel fire. The killing of civilians by NATO and U.S. troops is undermining public support of the foreign mission here, analysts say.

Two provincial government officials on Sunday said 10 civilians were killed and more than 25 wounded in firing by the U.S. soldiers fleeing as they fled the site of the attack.

"Karzai strongly condemned the incident that took place," the palace said in a statement.

Karzai has ordered an inquiry, but previous such investigations by NATO and the Afghan government have done nothing more than confirm witness accounts that those killed were civilians.

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