NATO-led airstrike kills 8 of a family

LASHKARGAH (PAN raid in the Nad Ali district of southern Helmand province Friday afternoon, local officials and residents said.

ISAF is investigating the incident, the coaltion said in a statement.

District police chief Maj. Shadi Khan told Pajhwok Afghan News that the strike occurred around 2pm Friday when Taliban attacked an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) patrol in the 31 Gharbi area, killing eight members of the same family.

He added the family was from the Char Chino district of central Uruzgan province and the head of the family was a prayer leader of a mosque in the area. 

He said only the mother of the imam survived.

By contrast, ISAF said in its statement that insurgents attacked a coaltion patrol at around 10:30am Friday. The statement said ISAF first responded with small arms fire then employed an airstrike against the insurgents.

The statement continued: “Shortly following the engagement, coalition forces received reports that civilians were being held captive by the insurgents and may have been present during the air strike.” The statement provided no exact casualty figures.

Abdul Bari, a resident of the 31 Gharbi area, told Pajhwok that the bombardment occurred after Taliban attacked a base of NATO troops.

He contradicted Khan’s account, saying nine members of the family, including the parents and seven children, were killed.

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