4 Afghan policemen wrongly killed by US troops

[Judi Lynn]

4 Afghan policemen wrongly killed by US troops

www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-18 16:08:42

KABUL, Oct. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Four Afghan policemen were killed Monday night as they mistakenly came under US troops' fire in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province, provincial governor confirmed Tuesday.

"US troops were going to Miwand district last night and mistakenly pounded a police post in Tamir-e-Jadid area, and killed four police on the spot and injuring another," Assadullah Khalid told Xinhua.

He blamed misunderstanding for the bloody incident but did not give more details.

Both government and the US military have yet to make any comments on the issue.

In a similar incident early this month in the neighboring Helmand province, four more policemen were killed and four others injured.
(snip/...)

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/18/content_3639411.htm

[Oversea Visitor]

1. Let in stew for a few more months

Then Afganistan will have a full blown insurgency.

[oblivious]

2. Who dunnit?

1. Reuters says US troops did it, quoting Kandahar Governor Assadullah Khalid.

2. AP says suspected Taliban militants did it, quoting Provincial government chief Khan Agha Amin.

3. Xinhua says US troops did it, quoting Kandahar provincial governor Assadullah Khalid.


1. Reuters:

US troops kill 4 Afghan police, Governor says
US troops killed four Afghan policemen and wounded another after mistaking them for militants during an operation in southern Afghanistan, a senior local official said today.

The US military in Kabul said it had no information about the incident, the second of its kind this month.

Kandahar province Governor Assadullah Khalid said Monday night's killings in Maiwand district came after police fired into the air from their checkpoint.

"The US soldiers were on a hunt for Taliban on the basis of a tip-off when the shot was fired in the sky and the soldiers thought it was the enemy who fired it," Governor Khalid said.

"They fired on them and after overrunning the checkpoint, found that they had killed four police and wounded another by mistake," he told reporters.

Earlier this month US troops mistook some policemen for militants during a hunt in the adjacent province of Helmand, again killing four and wounding another.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200510/s1485219.htm

2. AP

Attack On Afghan Police Station Leaves Four Dead
18 October 2005 -- The head of the Kandahar Province government says suspected Taliban militants attacked a police checkpoint the southern Afghan region and killed four police officers.

Provincial government chief Khan Agha Amin says two officers were wounded and five others were missing after the attack late on 17 October in Maywand district.

3. Xinhua - See the OP

[Crayson]

3. Shot first ask later...

That's the way it goes in every war.

You see a guy with guns and he doesn't wear your uniform you put your finger to the trigger.

Hell, I wouldn't even trust the guys who'd wear the SAME uniform.

Seeing a gun in somebody else's hand gives you that itchy feeling.