US AIR FORCE DENIES CIVILAIN CASUALTIES 6/1/09

Source: Quqnoos

Martedi' 6 Gennaio 2009


US Air-Force Denies Inflicting Civilian Casualties

Written by www.quqnoos.com
Tuesday, 06 January 2009

Mostly the Taliban militants and their leaders are killed in the US Air-strikes

Denying civilian casualties on air-strikes, commander of American Air-Force in Afghanistan said, there is no evidence to confirm this issue.

Commander claims that in their air-attacks, mostly the Taliban militants and their leaders are killed; the civilians also receive injuries in such attacks, he admitted.

President Karzai has said before that if the American Forces did not stop killing civilians, and did not listen to him, he will take decision and hold a public assembly (jirga mardomi).

Commander of American Air-Force confirmed that some time the forces use canal bombs which weigh 500 pounds.

He said after the talks between president Karzai and David McKiernan--the general in command of ISAF in Afghanistan-- the attacks of these forces have decreased compared to the past.

He also denied civilian killings during their operations.

Commander of 455 Air-Force, Mike Holmes said: “I think more enemies are killed in our operations. We don't say that civilians are not harmed. It also does not mean that they are harmed in our attacks only. Most of the civilians are killed during the enemy attacks, since they use residential area as shields against us. Unless our land forces are not attacked, we do not use our Air-Forces. When the enemies attack us from residential areas, we have to target them wherever they are.”

President Karzai had condemned the killing of civilians and called it against the laws of government of Afghanistan.

Commander of American Air-Force said, his country has about 4000 Air Forces in Afghanistan, and if the numbers of American Forces increase in the country, its Air-Force will also increase.