Many Civilians Killed in NATO Afghanistan Air Strike

NATO said it hit a suspected insurgent convoy, but ground forces later found "a number of individuals killed and wounded", including women and children. Photo by afghanvoice.com

NATO has confirmed that a number of civilians were killed in an air strike in southern Afghanistan on Sunday.

27 people died and 10 were injured in the raid in Uruzgan province, the governor told the BBC.

NATO said it hit a suspected insurgent convoy, but ground forces later found "a number of individuals killed and wounded", including women and children.

Civilian deaths in air strikes have caused widespread resentment in Afghanistan, and embarrassment to NATO.

Last week, 12 civilians died in that offensive - whose name means Together - when ground-launched rockets hit a home.

About 15 000 Nato and Afghan troops are involved in Moshtarak, now in its second week, and the largest operation since the Taliban were overthrown in 2001.

The head of US Central Command, Gen David Petraeus, said on Sunday it was part of a revised strategy for combating insurgents that would probably last up to 18 months.

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