US Admits Killing Innocent Afghan Family in Airstrike

The incident did not come to light until the governor in Helmand Province made a public accusation

by John Glaser, May 07, 2012

The U.S. military has claimed responsibility for an airstrike that killed six innocent members of a family in southwestern Afghanistan and pledged a formal apology would be forthcoming.

The attack took place on Friday and was revealed publicly by the governor of Helmand Province, Muhammad Gulab Mangal on Monday. The U.S. almost immediately confirmed Mangal’s accusation, which makes it seem like they knew about it before he went public.

The episode raises questions about how many such cases of civilian killings the U.S. military commits in Afghanistan that aren’t investigated and brought to light by corrupt and inept Afghan authorities.

In fact, a spokesman for the U.S. military in Helmand, Lt. Col. Stewart Upton, after admitting to Mangal’s charges said American officials had been aware of the civilian deaths and claimed an investigation had been initiated. But the people of Afghanistan and the United States were kept in the dark.

The victims included a mother and her five children, three girls and two boys.

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