Karzai orders inquiry into civilian deaths

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered an investigation into a US-led coalition air strike that local officials say killed 15 civilians, but the US military says killed only armed Taliban militants. But just as the president gave the order, accusations surfaced that another coalition airstrike had killed 23 civilians travelling in a wedding convoy. The issue of civilian casualties is an emotive one in Afghanistan, feeding a common perception international forces do not take enough care when launching air strikes, and undermining support for their continued presence in the country. Nearly 700 Afghan civilians were killed in the first six months of this year, 255 of them by Afghan government and international troops, the rest by Taliban militants. Karzai ordered the Defence and Interior Ministries and a body that oversees... [read full story]