MoD investigating civilian casualties claims in Nimroz

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said on Sunday it was seriously investigating allegations of civilian casualties in an airstrike in southwestern Nimroz province.

Earlier, Provincial council chief Baz Mohammad Nasir and local residents claimed 12 civilians were killed when government forces launched airstrikes on Taliban militants in the Manzari area of Khashrod district.

He said Taliban bunkers were also targeted in the airstrikes, but there was no information about their casualties.

Meanwhile, 2015 Maiwand Corps said in a statement that it was investigating claims about civilian casualties in Khashrod district.

The statement said government forces targeted a group of Taliban militants on the 9th Highway in Khashrod district. The rebels were robbing vehicles in the area and a number of Taliban insurgents suffered causalities in the airstrikes.

Taliban spokesman QariYousafAhmadi claimed that 14 members of a family, including women and children, had been killed in the airstrike in Khashrod district.

Bk/ma