Charlotte Observer Logo

U.N. probes Afghan incident | Charlotte Observer

×
  • E-edition
  • Customer Service
  • Advertise
  • Newsletters

    • News
    • Local
    • Crime
    • Databases
    • Education
    • Election
    • Politics
    • Nation/World
    • Special Reports
    • North Carolina
    • South Carolina
    • Corrections
    • Columnists
    • Retro Charlotte
    • Your Schools
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Sports
    • Carolina Panthers
    • Charlotte Hornets
    • That's Racin'
    • High Schools
    • College Sports
    • Charlotte Knights/MLB
    • Other Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Inside the Panthers
    • Inside the NBA
    • Prep Insiders
    • Scott Fowler
    • Tom Sorensen
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The North Carolina Influencer Series
    • RNC 2020
    • Business
    • Banking
    • Stocks Center
    • Top Workplaces
    • National Business
    • What's in Store
    • Development
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Living
    • Religion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Family
    • Home & Garden
    • CLT Style
    • Travel
    • Living Here Guide
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • I'll Bite
    • Kathleen Purvis
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Arts/Culture
    • Events
    • Movie News & Reviews
    • Restaurants
    • Music/Nightlife
    • Television
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Rewards
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Kevin Siers
    • Letters
    • Submit an Op-ed
    • Submit a Letter
    • Viewpoint
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • O-Pinion
    • You Write The Caption
    • Taylor Batten
    • Peter St. Onge
  • Celebrations
  • Obituaries
  • TV Listings

  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Virtual Career Fair
  • Homes
  • Classifieds
  • Place an ad
  • Mobile & Apps

  • MomsCharlotte
  • Carolina Bride Magazine
  • South Park Magazine

News

U.N. probes Afghan incident

By Fisnik Abrashi - Associated Press

    ORDER REPRINT →

August 27, 2008 12:00 AM

In a warning to U.S. forces, the Afghan government said it aims to regulate the presence of U.S. troops and their use of airstrikes, while the U.N. on Tuesday announced that “convincing evidence” exists that a U.S.-led operation killed 90 civilians.

The U.N. sent in investigators, who relied solely on villagers' statements in alleging the American-led operation in the western province of Herat on Friday killed 60 children and 30 adults. The U.S. military stood by its account, that 25 militants and five civilians were killed.

“I don't have any information that would suggest that our military commanders in Afghanistan don't believe, still, that this was a legitimate strike on a Taliban target,” Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman said in Washington.

The U.N. allegation comes a day after President Hamid Karzai's government said it will try to put more controls on the way U.S. and NATO troops operate, a response to a series of airstrikes and other operations this summer that have caused the deaths of scores of civilians.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Afghanistan's Council of Ministers ordered the ministries of defense and foreign affairs to open negotiations with the U.S. and NATO over airstrikes, house searches and the detentions of Afghan civilians. It also called for a “status of force” agreement to regulate troops' presence.

Afghanistan's effort to rein in foreign forces is similar to steps by the Iraqi government, which has demanded a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops and greater control of U.S. operations.

The U.N. allegation on civilian deaths could set the U.S., U.N. and the Afghan government on a collision course over the use of military force in Afghan villages, where international troops battle Taliban and al-Qaida militants daily.

Russia on Tuesday circulated a draft Security Council press statement expressing concern about the civilian casualties reportedly caused by the airstrike, saying members “strongly deplore the fact that this is not the first incident of this kind.”

Press statements must be approved by all 15 Security Council members and Western diplomats said there was no chance the Russian draft would be adopted.

The draft notes the need to fight terrorism but says “killing and maiming of civilians is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and human rights law.”

It calls on the U.S.-led coalition, the International Security Assistance Force and all parties in Afghanistan to take steps to ensure the protection of civilians, particularly women and children.

A spate of civilian deaths has added fuel to long-simmering public anger. In July, 69 Afghan civilians were killed in two operations in eastern Afghanistan, including 47 killed in Nangarhar province while walking to a wedding party, Afghan officials say.

  Comments  

Videos

Take a walk around the security perimeter of the Spectrum Center for the All-Star game

A traditional Native American flute performance.

View More Video

Trending Stories

The NBA All-Star Celebrity Game was looking weak. Then some strong basketball saved it.

February 16, 2019 02:26 AM

A 6th grader asked a billionaire for tickets to the All-Star Game. His school got 30.

February 17, 2019 01:44 PM

The NFL reaches a settlement with Colin Kaepernick. And EVERYONE is talking about it

February 16, 2019 08:00 AM

Driver fatally shoots stranger who jumped on car hood, broke window in Charlotte

February 16, 2019 07:00 PM

Hornets rookie Miles Bridges’ Larry Johnson tribute not enough in slam-dunk contest

February 16, 2019 11:06 PM

things to do

Read Next

Denny Hamlin cruises to 2nd Daytona 500 victory in 4 years

National

Denny Hamlin cruises to 2nd Daytona 500 victory in 4 years

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 17, 2019 09:23 PM

Denny Hamlin did it again at Daytona and won NASCAR's biggest race of the year for the second time.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE NEWS

Teacher got her long hair cut short because she was tired of 5-year-old Texas bullies

National

Teacher got her long hair cut short because she was tired of 5-year-old Texas bullies

February 17, 2019 12:02 PM
Girlfriend let him have sex with another woman, but he lost his pants and $10K, NC cops say

Crime

Girlfriend let him have sex with another woman, but he lost his pants and $10K, NC cops say

February 17, 2019 05:25 PM
Decorative tombstone hid a secret compartment — and a trove of drugs, agents say

National

Decorative tombstone hid a secret compartment — and a trove of drugs, agents say

February 17, 2019 04:52 PM
A 6th grader asked a billionaire for tickets to the All-Star Game. His school got 30.

News

A 6th grader asked a billionaire for tickets to the All-Star Game. His school got 30.

February 17, 2019 01:44 PM
Burglar calls for a Lyft — but gets in a police car by mistake, New Jersey cops say

National

Burglar calls for a Lyft — but gets in a police car by mistake, New Jersey cops say

February 17, 2019 03:33 PM
Spun out of control: The desperate final days of skater John Coughlin

National

Spun out of control: The desperate final days of skater John Coughlin

February 17, 2019 06:30 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Charlotte Observer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Photo Store
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story