By Xinhua,
Kabul : Commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan, promised Saturday that his troops would work in “closer coordination with Afghan forces”, a statement released here by ISAF said.
“We will recommit to closer coordination between international forces and Afghan National Security Forces,” the statement quoting the General as saying.
He made the remarks two weeks after the death of around 90 civilians during air strikes by the U.S.-led Coalition forces in Shind and district of Herat province in west Afghanistan.
Both the Coalition and Afghan troops put the number of civilian casualties only five, stressing 25 insurgents and five civilians were killed in the incident occurred on Aug. 22.
However, locals, Afghan government investigating team and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) after initiating probe into the case confirmed the death of about 89 civilians including women and children in the deadly operation.
General David McKiernan nevertheless disputed the report, saying “we realize there is a large discrepancy between the number of civilians casualties reported by U.S. and Afghan soldiers and local villagers.”
The gruesome incident prompted hundreds of Afghans in the affected area to take to the streets, chanting anti-America slogans.
The repeated killing of civilians have prompted some lawmakers to call for legalization of the presence of international troops in the post-Taliban nation, with some saying the long-term stay of foreign troops have facilitate Taliban’s campaign for support from local residents in attacking “foreign occupiers.”
However, the U.S. General of the western military alliance troops in Afghanistan stressed in the statement “it is my sincere hope that we can continue to focus on a more secure future for Afghanistan.”
More than 3,700 people including militants, troops, aid workers and civilians have been killed in conflicts and Taliban-related violence so far this year in the war-torn country.