PTI, February 22, 2012

Nine Afghan girls injured in NATO air raid

Last week, ISAF conceded that several children died during a bombing raid

Photo: The Guardian

Jalalabad: Nine schoolgirls were injured in a NATO helicopter attack in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province, an Afghan official alleged Wednesday.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said it was looking into the allegation but had no immediate information.

"This morning a school was attacked by a NATO helicopter. Nine children, all girls, and the school's janitor have been injured," Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, the Nangarhar provincial government spokesman said.

"Some of the girls were discharged after receiving treatment but about five of them are still in the hospital," Abdulzai said, accusing the US-led ISAF force of carrying out the attack.

An ISAF spokesman said the force was aware of the claim but "we don't have operational reporting of it".

"ISAF officials are looking into these claims," the spokesman said.

Last week, ISAF conceded that several children died during a bombing raid on February 8 in northeast Kapisa province.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai had condemned the air strikes and ordered an investigation after saying that eight children were killed.

The latest report comes amid intense anti-US riots in Kabul that were unleashed after the burning of copies of the Koran by foreign forces at the US-run Bagram military base north of the capital.

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