40 Afghan civilians killed or wounded by US marines

[maddezmom]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US military has determined that more than 40 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded by US marines after a suicide bombing in a village near Jalalabad last month, The Washington Post reported Sunday.

Citing the US commander who ordered the probe, the newspaper said there was no evidence that the marine special operations platoon came under small-arms fire after the bombing, although the marines reported taking enemy fire and seeing people with weapons.

The troops continued shooting at perceived threats as they traveled miles from the site of the March 4 attack, said Major General Frank Kearney, head of Special Operations Command Central, according to the report.

They hit several vehicles, killing at least 10 people and wounding 33, among them children and elderly villagers, The Post said.

"We found ... no brass that we can confirm that small-arms fire came at them," Kearney is quoted by the paper as saying. "We have testimony from marines that is in conflict with unanimous testimony from civilians at the sites."



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070415/pl_afp/usafghanistanmilitaryrights_070415060652

[Erika]

1. And W's insanity continues

How very sad.

[entanglement]

2. Kick

n/t

[Up2Late]

3. Here's another version from Reuters: Marines killed Afghans after bombing: report

Marines killed Afghans after bombing: report

Sun Apr 15, 2007 8:15pm ET162

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A preliminary investigation by the military says U.S. Marines killed or wounded more than 40 Afghan civilians after a suicide attack on a convoy last month, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

The newspaper said work by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service would decide whether to call courts martial for the troops involved. A spokesman at the Defense Department's Central Command headquarters was not immediately available for comment.

Although Marines said they saw people with weapons, the investigation found no evidence of small arms fire, the newspaper quoted Maj. Gen. Frank Kearney, head of Special Operations Command Central, as saying.

The Marines shot at vehicles and other suspected threats for miles after the site of the March 4 incident in a village near Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 10 people and wounding 33, Kearney told the newspaper. "My investigating officer believes those folks were innocent..."

(More at link)