Afghan Government Warns US Over 'One-Sided' Airstrike That Killed 18

By Matt Williams, Guardian UK

11 June 12

Raid that killed over a dozen civilians condemned as Afghanistan warns that future raids would be a breach of pact.

he Afghan government has hit out at the US for failing to consult with local forces ahead of an airstrike that killed 18 civilians, suggesting future such raids would be viewed as a breach of its pact with Washington.

An investigation into Wednesday's night-time raid found that it was the result of "a one-sided decision, and not co-ordinated with Afghan security forces", President Hamid Karzai's spokesman Aimal Faiz said.

He went on to suggest that a repeat of the unilateral strike would be seen as a violation of a pact between the two countries over who takes the lead in "special operations" in the country.

Signed in April, the agreement puts the Afghan government in charge of such manoeuvres - a move designed to resolve some of the longstanding tensions between the two countries.

The fallout from the deadly strike - alongside news Saturday that four French soldiers in Afghanistan were killed by a suicide bomber wearing a burqa - have reaffirmed fears that Nato's exit strategy will be far from orderly.

As part of the transition of power, more agreements are expected to be signed handing responsibility for security matters to Afghan forces.

But investigators looking into the circumstances surrounding the latest loss of civilian life in an airborne attack concluded that the call was made by US authorities alone.

Wednesday's raid took place at a village in the Logar province in which militants were believed to be hiding.

US military officials have said such attacks are key in capturing or killing Taliban fighters. But they have been resisted in Afghanistan, leading to a rift between Karzai and Washington.

Faizi said on Saturday that investigators told the president Afghan forces had surrounded the house prior to the airstrike.

But the US troops decided not to wait for them to try and flush out the militants, opting instead for aerial bombardment.

It was only later that they discovered that women, children and old men were inside the house.

On Friday, the senior American commander in Afghanistan apologised over the incident.

After flying to Logar province, Marine Gen John Allen promised to "do the right things by the families" of the bereaved.

A Nato investigation ruled that coalition forces were responsible for the killings, but made no mention of a violation of the special operations agreement, to the anger of Afghan officials.

"This airstrike was a one-sided decision, and not coordinated with Afghan security forces," Faizi said.

He added that in the future, the Afghan government would consider such actions as a breach of the special operations pact.

The spokesman said: "The continuation of uncoordinated operations and civilian casualties are against the recent decisions made between Afghanistan and the United States."

The Afghan government felt betrayed by the US, he said, adding: "The expectation of the Afghan government and the Afghan people was that a new page would open between Afghanistan and the United States."

A Nato spokesman declined to comment on the Afghan findings.