WASHINGTON, Saturday (AFP) - A failure by US forces to follow procedures in air strikes last month in Afghanistan “likely” caused the death of at least 26 civilians, the US military said on Friday.
An internal investigation of a May 4 battle with Taliban insurgents in western Afghanistan found US air crews and ground troops acted in line with the laws of armed conflict but three air strikes by a B-1 bomber failed to adhere to US combat rules and orders.
“Not applying all of that guidance likely resulted in civilian casualties,”said a summary of the military probe released Friday. The report recommended tactics and combat rules in the Afghan war be revised to avoid civilian casualties but did not call for prosecution of any US military personnel.
The investigation found that 78 Taliban fighters were killed and 26 civilians died in the incident, but said it was possible that a higher number of civilians were killed.
The Kabul government has put the civilian toll at 140.
The incident has fueled public anger at the NATO-led coalition and prompted President Hamid Karzai to demand a halt in air strikes.
US and NATO officials have grown increasingly concerned about the effect of civilian casualities on the war effort, as insurgents have sought to exploit the incidents to sow distrust of foreign troops.
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