US Military Admits Killing 33 Civilians in Afghanistan Air Strike

The inquiry found that of the 33 dead civilians, eight were men, three were women and 12 children.

by Matthew Weaver and agencies

The US military has admitted killing 33 civilians in an air strike on a village in Afghanistan in August, far more than it has previously acknowledged.

Following the August 22 attack on Azizabad, in Heart province, the Afghan government claimed that 90 civilians, mainly women and children, were killed. This figure was backed by the UN.

Until now the US has estimated that that no more than seven civilians died in the attack. It launched an inquiry after it emerged that film recorded on mobile phones showed rows of bodies of children and babies in a makeshift morgue.

The inquiry found that of the 33 dead civilians, eight were men, three were women and 12 children. The 10 others were undetermined. It also claimed that 22 Taliban fighters were killed in the attack.

The inquiry dismissed the Afghan government's estimate as being over-reliant on statements from villagers.

"Their reports lack independent evidence to support the allegations of higher numbers of civilian casualties," the US report said.

A spokesman for the Afghan government said it stood by its estimate.

The US expressed regret for the civilian losses but blamed the Taliban for having chosen to take up fighting positions near civilians.

"Unfortunately, and unknown to the US and Afghan forces, the (militants) chose fighting positions in close proximity to civilians," the report said.

The acting commander of US forces in the Middle East, Lieutenant General Martin Dempsey, said the attack was based on credible intelligence and was made in self-defence.

"We are deeply saddened at the loss of innocent life in Azizabad. We go to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties in Afghanistan in all our operations, but as we have seen all too often, this ruthless enemy routinely surround themselves with innocents," he said.

US central command said its investigation was based on 28 interviews resulting in more than 20 hours of recorded testimony from Afghan government officials, Afghan village elders, officials from non-governmental organisations, US and Afghan troops, 236 documents and 11 videos.

The issue of civilian deaths has outraged Afghans and strained relations with foreign forces which are in Afghanistan to help fight the insurgency. The Afghanistan president, Hamid Karzai, has warned US and Nato for years that they must stop killing civilians on bombing runs against militants, saying the deaths undermine his government and the international mission.

Following the raid on Azizabad Nato's commander in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan, issued revised tactics and procedures for air and ground assaults against insurgents.