|
Post by lakshmi on Mar 11, 2012 22:55:48 GMT
(Reuters) - Sixteen Afghan civilians, including nine children, were shot dead in what witnesses described as a nighttime massacre on Sunday near a U.S. base in southern Afghanistan, and one U.S. soldier was in custody.While U.S. officials rushed to draw a line between the rogue shooting and the ongoing efforts of a U.S. force of around 90,000, the incident is sure to further inflame Afghan anger triggered when U.S. soldiers burned copies of the Koran at a NATO base. U.S. officials said an American staff sergeant from a unit based in Washington state was in custody after the attack on villagers in three houses. Multiple civilians were also wounded, a spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) coalition said President Barack Obama called his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai promising to establish the facts quickly and "to hold fully accountable anyone responsible." There were conflicting reports of how many shooters were involved, with U.S. officials asserting that a lone soldier was responsible, in contrast to witnesses' accounts that several U.S. soldiers were present. The incident was one of the worst of its kind since the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul said anti-U.S. reprisals were possible following the killings, just as the Koran burning incident a few weeks earlier had touched off widespread anti-Western protests in which at least 30 people died. Neighbors and relatives of the dead said they had seen a group of U.S. soldiers arrive at their village in Kandahar's Panjwayi district at about 2 a.m., enter homes and open fire. An Afghan man who said his children were killed in the shooting spree accused soldiers of later burning the bodies. Obama said he was deeply saddened. "This incident is tragic and shocking and does not represent the exceptional character of our military and the respect that the United States has for the people of Afghanistan," Obama said in a statement. "INTENTIONAL MURDERS" Afghan President Karzai condemned the rampage as "intentional murders" and demanded an explanation from the United States. His office said the dead included nine children and three women. goo.gl/6jxjr
|
|
|
Post by Big Lin on Mar 11, 2012 22:58:20 GMT
Yes, I saw this on the news today.
A terrible tragedy.
One man, probably stressed out and crazed after his tour of duty, goes out and murders people.
One of the victims was a 2-year old child.
It's appalling and will only help the Taliban.
|
|
|
Post by lakshmi on Mar 11, 2012 23:33:31 GMT
I give most hi honour for soldiers bcz there brave and they will die for duty. But if soldier will do such thing as this there evil as 9/11 terrorist.
|
|
|
Post by trubble on Mar 11, 2012 23:48:51 GMT
It's so shocking. I can't believe it. It's incredibly sad.
The Afghan Taliban have said they will retaliate, so the tragedy is set to be made worse.
What on earth can have happened?
|
|