Afghan civilians killed in U.S.-led operation

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

KABUL, June 11 (Reuters) - U.S.-led forces killed four Afghan civilians, including two women and a boy, in an operation against Taliban insurgents in southeastern Paktika province, the U.S. military said in a statement on Wednesday.

Paktika's governor Akram Khpelwak told Reuters that eight civilians -- five of them women and three children -- were killed in the operation, which was backed by air strikes.

He put militants deaths at more than two dozen, but people contacted by phone who said they were residents said the civilian toll was far higher.

The operation, in which several militants were killed, was aimed at two insurgent leaders, the U.S. military said in its statement, without identifying the pair.

"The operation also resulted in four civilian deaths and one civilian injury," it said, adding the fatalities included two women and a boy. The soldiers detained 12 insurgents in the operation, it said.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP265905.htm

[LynnTheDem]

1. Killing other peoples' women & children doesn't seem to be winning

hearts and minds. Or wars.

[High Plains]

2. I guess we just "liberated" another handful of Afghans.

Time to get the hell out of there.