A joint offensive by US and Afghan forces was carried out in Surobi
District, outside the Afghan capital of Kabul overnight. The raid, and
ensuing US airstrikes, killed at least five civilians, four women and a child.
The operation was intended to target “Taliban fighters.” The Afghan
National Security Directorate said the civilians were killed in what
they described as a “counterattack” against the Taliban.
So far there is no confirmation of casualties among any of the
combatants, though US coalition officials said it was “likely” that
they’d killed the Taliban’s shadow governor for the district. They
offered no evidence to support that assumption.
This is the latest of several strikes around Afghanistan which have
caused a number of civilian casualties. US coalition spokeswoman Debra
Richardson dismissed the killing of non-combatants, saying that the best
way to end the suffering of non-combatants would be to win the war
militarily.
Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz
- Ukraine's President-Elect Demands Sanctions Against Russia Over Passports - April 24th, 2019
- Kim Visits Russia to Meet Putin on Nuclear, Peace Process - April 24th, 2019
- Iran FM Calls for Prisoner Swap With US - April 24th, 2019
- Iran FM: Trump Aims for Talks, Bolton Wants Conflict - April 24th, 2019
- ISIS Battles Taliban for Control of Eastern Afghanistan Villages - April 24th, 2019