U.S.: 55 Afghans were killed in controversial raid

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U.S.: 55 Afghans were killed in controversial raid
By Joseph Giordono, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, October 10, 2008

The U.S. military’s investigation into an Aug. 22 operation that killed a disputed number civilians in western Afghanistan says 55 people were killed and blames the incident on militants who "chose fighting positions in close proximity to civilians."

In an executive summary of the investigation released late Wednesday, the military said 33 civilians — including "a minimum" of three women and 12 children — were killed along with 22 alleged "Anti-Coalition Militants."

The raid, which took place near Azizabad in the western Herat province, was launched based on intelligence that some two dozen militants were holding a meeting there.

The investigating officer concluded that the raid was within the military’s rules of engagement and did not break laws of war.

In the days after the incident, Afghan and United Nations officials say 90 civilians were killed. The U.S. military insisted at first that an initial investigation showed only "5 to 7" civilians were killed.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58016