Coalition Forces Admit Civilians Killed in Herat Strike
They initially claimed up to 15 militants allegedly linked to rebel chief had died in the attack.
Wednesday, 18 March, 2009
Coalition Forces Admit Civilians Killed in Herat Strike
They initially claimed up to 15 militants allegedly linked to rebel chief had died in the attack.
Wednesday, 18 March, 2009
The commander, Ghulam Yahya Akbari, was unhurt, but he confirmed that two of his men and a local mechanic were killed in the raid on the Gozara district village of Karez Sultan.
Shortly after the operation, Coalition force representatives insisted that “up to 15 militants suspected of associating with Yahya” had been killed.
They now say they believe three militants died, but confirm numerous reports from Herat that a number of nomads were also killed.
Coalition spokesman Lieutenant Commander Walter Matthews expressed regret for the loss of civilians. “Our hearts go out to those affected by the recent operation in Herat,” said Matthews, in a written response to questions from IWPR.
“We want to fight the enemies of Afghanistan, without creating enemies among those we are here to help and whose lives we are dedicated to improving.
“While nothing can make up for the losses the survivors of this incident have suffered, we accept responsibility for our actions and are committed to making amends. An advanced payment was made on the spot the day of the visit to Herat by a Coalition forces assessment team Friday (February 20). A final payment will be made in the coming days.”
On February 17, Coalition forces targeted Yahya, who had been waging his own private war against the government of Afghanistan and foreign forces for close to two years. (see: Rebel Chief Defies Coalition Forces, Afghan Recovery Report 313, 18 February 2009).
Thirteen nomads, included six women and two children, reportedly died in the attack, along with up to 400 animals.
Yahya escaped injury, and vows to carry on his fight.
“They think I will be afraid after their airstrike, but that it not true,” he told IWPR, speaking by telephone days after the attack. “I will fight against them even if I have only one man left.”
Yahya claims to have 200 fighters under his command.
According to the rebel commander, his driver, twenty-year-old Khalil Ahmad, and one of his gunmen, Sayed Karim, 32, were killed in the Coalition raid.
Also among the dead was Gulbuddin, 22, a mechanic who had come out to Gozara district to fix one of Yahya’s vehicles.
After media reports contradicted the Coalition assessment of the raid and local officials protested ( Herat official Claims Civilians Killed in Airstrike, Afghan Recovery Report 313, 18 February 2009), the foreign forces conducted an investigation.
The incident highlights the growing problem of innocent civilians being caught up in fighting between the Coalition and militants.
The United Nations issued a report last week saying that civilian casualties were up nearly 40 per cent in 2008, adding that even the figure of 2,118 fatalities was likely to be incomplete. The majority of the deaths are said to have been caused by the insurgents, with approximately 40 per cent slain by foreign troops or Afghan government forces.
The killing of non-combatants sparks anger among Afghans, and often serves to engender support for the insurgency. Regardless of the distaste many Afghan felt for the harsh regime of the Taleban, they are unwilling to accept that the price of their liberation is high levels of civilian casualties.
But Coalition forces are steadfast in their conviction that the fault lies with the armed opposition groups rather than with foreign troops.
“This is not the first time the insurgents have taken cover behind innocent civilians,” said Matthews, referring to the Herat incident. “Coalition forces value Afghan lives and, unlike the insurgents, do all that they can to avoid civilian casualties. … The insurgents will not win.”
Jean MacKenzie is IWPR’s programme director in Kabul.
