Afghanistan is investigating reports that 40 civilians, including children, were killed in an airstrike during a wedding celebration in southern Helmand province, officials said Monday.

The allegations stem from an overnight skirmish in Musa Qala district, less than a week after a drone killed at least nine civilians in Nangarhar province east of Kabul.

Residents and local officials in Helmand said an evening wedding celebration was underway when security forces launched a ground and aerial operation against suspected militants.

Majeed Akhundzada, a member of the Helmand provincial council, told AFP that both Afghan and foreign forces had been involved in the fighting.

"Some 40 people were killed and 18 others were wounded and were brought to the hospital, all the victims were civilians," he said.

Sher Mohammad Akhundza, a provincial senator, also put the toll at 40 dead.

Defence ministry spokesman Fawad Aman later told AFP that special forces had been targeting a compound hosting Taliban and Al Qaeda militants, saying fighting lasted an hour before an insurgent detonated a suicide vest.

Aman said at least 22 "terrorists" were killed and 14 others injured in the incident, adding that officials were investigating claims that civilians had also been killed.

But he denied that airstrikes had been used during the operation.

A statement from Helmand's governor gave a different account, saying the militants were killed in "airstrikes" and ground operations.

While the Afghan military does have a fledgling air force, most strikes are led or supported by the United States, the only member of the international coalition in Afghanistan that provides aerial support in the conflict.

There was no immediate comment from NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.

The UN documented a sharp rise in civilian deaths from airstrikes last year, as Afghan and US forces intensified the aerial bombardment of Taliban and Islamic State group militants.

Related Links
News From Across The Stans

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

US continues to arm Kurds in Syria: Pentagon
Washington (AFP) Sept 18, 2019
The United States continues to provide Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria with arms and vehicles, despite the creation of a buffer zone with Turkey along the border, a US defense official said Wednesday. The US supplies the materials to Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) units to fight the Islamic State (IS) group, according to the Pentagon. "We continue to provide very tailored arms and vehicles to the SDF" for use against IS, said Chris Maier, the director of the working group on the fight agai ... read more