Quqnoos, June 11, 2009

US-led Air Strike Killed 10 Civilians in the Central Ghor Province

According to Ghor deputy governor, five kids have been also killed in the bombardment of the US warplanes in the relatively calm Afghan central province.

A US-led air strike has killed 22 people, including 10 civilians in the central Ghor province, officials said

Deputy Governor of Ghor province, Ikramuddin Rezazada revealed that at least 10 civilians were killed in Tuesday’s air raid, carried out by the US-led coalition forces.

A day earlier, US forces in statement said a prominent militant commander, Mullah Mustafa, and 16 other insurgents were killed in the bombing.

Later, Mullah Mustafa in a phone interview told Quqnoos that he is “not harmed in the incident”.

Mullah Mustafa, who was termed by the US forces, a commander of some 100 men in the central province of Ghor, told Quqnoos that he had “never been in the opposition to the [Afghan] government”.

The incident that also caused civilian causalities was due to lack of intelligence, Mullah Mustafa said during the phone call.

“Some people went to the US forces and provided them with false information, and then they bombed our area. I am not harmed,” Mustafa added in the phone interview from an undisclosed location.

According to Ghor deputy governor, five kids have been also killed in the bombardment of the US warplanes in the relatively calm Afghan central province.

Ghor deputy governor also confirmed that Mullah Mustafa is among the dead.

Mullah Mustafa said his six-year old son and his ten-year old brother were killed in the air strike.

Mustafa warns that such bombings that target non-combatants will drive the support of the people towards the militants.

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