TEMPO.CO, Kabul - Afghanistan officials accused a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) attack on Saturday of killing not only insurgents, but also civilians, including women and children. Nine out of the fifteen killed by a rocket strike were said to be civilians. NATO, however, claimed that 10 militants died in the strike, and that there were no reports of any civilian deaths.
"We take all allegations of civilian casualties seriously," NATO said in a statement.
Conflicting reports emerged from the airstrike in Watapur district of Kunar, an area that lies along the border with Pakistan. It is believed that the Afghan Taliban and other militant groups operate in the region, and some are suspected of having ties to al-Qaeda.
Kunar province police chief Abdul Habib Sayed Khaili said the airstrike hit a pickup truck carrying women and children in Qoro village soon after three Arab and three Afghan militants boarded it on Saturday evening. Of the 15 dead, four were women, four were children and one was the driver, the police official said.
A NATO spokeswoman said it conducted a "precision strike" that killed 10 "enemy forces," but that it had received no reports of any civilians dying. NATO is still investigating the matter.
Militant strikes have enraged Afghans in the past. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has spoken out forcefully against them and banned Afghan troops from requesting NATO airstrikes during operations in residential areas.
AL JAZEERA | NATALIA SANTI
