Normalverkehr

KABUL, Aug 18 (AFP) NATO-led soldiers operating in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province “accidentally” killed four civilians and wounded three others in a rocket attack intended for insurgents, the alliance force said Sunday.

The Ministry of Defence in London later said British NATO troops were involved in the deaths, adding, “a full investigation will be carried out.” NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said the casualties from the incident Saturday included women and children. Two of the wounded, both children, were in a serious condition, the statement said.

The rocket attack, involving the british 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, occurred on Saturday in the Sangin district of Helmand province, in southern Afghanistan.

After identifying insurgents on the roof of a compound, the soldiers fired the rockets, not realising that there were women and children inside the building. 

The Isaf spokesman said: “The patrol identified insurgents with weapons on the roof of the compound preparing to attack, and in order to protect themselves, launched three rockets, all of which hit the target.

“Unbeknown to the patrol, civilians were inside the compound at the time. The casualties were treated at a nearby Isaf medical facility, where two of them, children, remain seriously ill.

“Isaf deeply regrets the tragedy of this incident, when women and children were killed and injured as a result of an imminent insurgent attack from a position where they would have known women and children were present. The enemies of Afghanistan have yet again shown a complete disregard for the lives of the innocent, who they claim to fight for.”

An MoD spokesman said: “A full investigation will be carried out, and our sympathies are with the families of the killed and injured civilians at this time. We can confirm that four civilians lost their lives.”