By KUNA,
Paris : The European Union Presidency, currently represented by France, has expressed “consternation” after the killing of over 90 civilians in a joint US and Afghan commando operation in the province of Herat in the west of the country.
The deaths concerned mainly women and children, reports from the area said, and they took place after an August 22 military operation that included air strikes by US aircraft.
The US Command maintains it attacked a Taliban structure and killed around 30 militants but this version has been called into question by President Hamid Karzai himself, who has fired two senior Afghan officers after the incident.
Afghanistan is also calling for a review of the role of the foreign forces in the country and their ability and authority to act.
A statement from President Nicolas Sarkozys office late Monday noted that the deaths took place “within the framework of the Enduring Freedom operation” which is an independent military campaign being led by the United States and the Afghan army.
“Enquiries have been opened by Afghan officials and by those from operation Enduring Freedom,” the statement from Sarkozys office noted, clearly distancing NATO forces, with which French troops are deployed, from the incident in Heart.