President expresses grief over casualties
15 February, 2013
KABUL: The Afghan President Hamid Karzai has expressed grief over the death of civilians in a NATO blitz in Shegal district of Kunar province, his office said Thursday. In a telephonic conversation with the heirs of victims, President Hamid Karzai assured all-out assistance with the bereaved families, a president's office press release available with the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) stated. "We also summoned the ISAF commander General Joseph Dunford and told him that according to the pledge of former ISAF commander General John Allen the foreign forces should not conduct bombardment on residential areas," the president said. The ISAF commander assured such incidents would not recur in the future, the press release added. Lauding President Hamid Karzai, the residents said the delegation headed by Shujaul Mulk had reached the area to probe into the incident. Assuring assistance for the affected families, President Hamid Karzai said all the foreign forces would leave houses and villages of Afghanistan by the spring. Five minors, four women and a man were killed during an operation of a joint force in Shegal district of Kunar province on February 12, this year. President Hamid Karzai formed a commission to investigate the incident. Reports about civilian casualties in operations of the foreign forces once against came to the limelight. The president always forms commission to investigate such incidents. However, civilians casualties could not be stopped so far. End.
|
