27 Civilians Killed in Nato Air Strike in South Afghanistan

Nearly 27 civilians have been killed in a Nato air strike in southern Afghanistan, said Afghan cabinet, revising downwards a previous statement claiming 33 casualties, reported BBC.

Nato said that it aimed at a suspected militant convoy, but later ground forces found that ‘a number of civilians, including women and children, were killed and wounded, said report.

Report said that Sunday’s strike in Uruzgan province was not part of a major Nato-led push neighbouring Helmand province.

According to BBC correspondent, three vehicles on a road were hit by the attack on Sunday morning.

However, Nato statement said that they though Taliban militants were in the convoy on their way to attack Afghan and foreign military forces, said report.

The governor of Uruzgan province said that all of the dead were civilians and that the air strike took place in an area which is under Taliban control, said report.

The Afghan government flayed the air strike, describing it ‘unjustifiable’ and ‘a major obstacle’ to effective counter-terrorism efforts, said report.

In a revised statement, putting the death toll at 27, the Afghan cabinet said that four women and one child were among those killed.

The statement also called on Nato ‘to closely co-ordinate and exercise maximum care before conducting any military operation so that any possible mistakes that may result in harming civilians… can be avoided’.