Afghan 'civilians killed in NATO airstrike'
At least five civilians, including three children, have
been killed in a NATO airstrike in eastern Afghanistan. The
civilians, aged between 12 and 20, were killed overnight on Friday
while they were out hunting birds in the area of Saracha. However, the US-led
coalition said that it targeted fighters and that its initial reports
indicate no civilian casualties. A spokesman for the coalition, told the AP
news agency that the attack near an airport used by NATO forces was a
"precision coordinated strike".Civilian casualties during NATO
operations have long been a source of friction between the Afghan government
and US-led NATO troops, who are winding down operations as they prepare to
withdraw by the end of next year. Last month, a NATO airstrike killed at least
16 civilians, including women and children, in neighbouring Kunar province in
eastern Afghanistan. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in
Afghanistan since the Taliban launched their insurgency in 2001 after being
ousted in a US-led invasion.
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