Drone strike kills children in Kunar

ASADABAD (PAN): Three children were killed and seven others, all from the same family, were injured in an overnight drone strike by US-led coalition forces in the Manogai district of eastern Kunar province, the governor said on Thursday.

Syed Fazlullah Wahidi said the pilotless aircraft targeted a civilian house on Wednesday night in the Danglik village, killing Tarbaz Khan’s two sons and a daughter.

Seven other family members of Khan and his brother injured in the strike were taken to the district hospital and their condition was said to be stable, Wahidi said, insisting they were innocent.  

A surviving family member, Raziqullah, said the drone hit their house when all family members were present. “There was a big bang that came all of a sudden and knocked me unconscious.”

He said three children, including a girl, were killed and another seven children, including three girls, were injured. The children aged between three and 14 years.

In response to an emailed query from Pajhwok, ISAF said it took allegations of civilian causalities seriously. “We do not have any operational reporting that supports the allegation that civilians were killed in Kunar province.”

The NATO are the only party to the conflict targeting civilians and increasing their use of indiscriminant weapons.They killed or injured 3,485 Afghan civilians in 2012.”

ma/mud

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