Nine Afghan boys have been killed in a U.S.-led NATO attack in Afghanistan. The boys were gathering firewood in the northeastern province of Kunar when a helicopter opened fire. On Wednesday, U.S. commander, Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez, issued a public apology.
Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez: “On behalf of the coalition and based on the initial findings of a combined assessment team, I want to offer my sincere apology for the killing of nine children in Dara-I-Pech district in Kunar province yesterday morning.”
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has condemned the killings as “merciless.” It’s the third reported killing of Afghan civilians by NATO troops in two weeks. A resident of Kabul said those responsible should be tried in an Afghan court.
Enatatullah Khan: “An apology is not enough. It is not the first time that they have killed our poor and innocent people. We don’t accept their apology. They must go on trial in Afghanistan. If it is not possible in Afghanistan, they must be tried in the international court for their action. They have apologized in the past but continue killing our people again and again.”