US-led airstrike kills 10 civilians in Afghanistan, including three children: Officials

In Afghanistan, ar drone attack carried out by US forces early in January to apparently hit a splinter Taliban group also led to deaths of 10 civilians, including three women and three children, an Afghan rights official and a council member said on Wednesday. As per Afghan official, US-led airstrike took place in Western Herat province of country. Apart from casualties, five or civilians including two children were wounded. 

re was immediate response from Afghan military or US forces, AP reported. However, Wakil Ahmad Karokhi, a provincial council member in Herat, said January 8 strike also killed commander of a Taliban splinter group, kwn as Mullah Nangyalia, along with 15 or militants. funeral of Taliban commander was held next day and was attended by dozens of militants from armed group. 

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An airstrike by US-led forces in a Taliban-controlled district in central Ghazni province killed at least five civilians late in September last year, local villrs said. Angry villrs carried bodies to provincial capital shouting, “Death to Ashraf Ghani,” referring to Afghan president, and “Death to America.” Later in same month last year, airstrikes led by Afghan government and backed by US killed at least 40 civilians at a wedding party. operation against Taliban in Musa Qala district targetted a house near a wedding party, which was apparently used by militant group to train suicide bombers, an Afghan defence official had stated.

Afghan government said that in that particular raid, 22 Taliban members were killed and 14 were arrested. Among those arrested, 5 were Pakistani and one was Bangladeshi.  Taliban today control nearly half of Afghanistan, and continue to st near-daily attacks targeting Afghan and US forces, even as y hold peace talks with Washington and have given a US peace envoy a document outlining ir offer for a temporary cease-fire in Afghanistan. Scores of Afghan civilians have also been killed in crossfire and by roadside bombs planted by militants or in anti-Taliban operations undertaken by government forces assisted by American troops.

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US-led airstrikes in Afghanistan

A UN report stated that civilian deaths caused by US and Afghan Forces are rising and surpassing for first time those caused by Taliban and or insurgents. It found that US and Afghan forces killed 717 civilians and injured 680 in first six months of 2019, up 31% from same period in 2018. Taliban and IS killed 531 and wounded 1,437, down 43%.

According to U.S. Air Forces Central Command, US conducted more bombings and drone strikes in Afghanistan in August than in any previous month in 2019 — 783, compared to 613 in July and 441 in June. As per report, from January to June in 2019, aerial operations have caused 519 civilian casualties (363 deaths and 156 injured), 150 of which were child casualties (89 deaths and 61 injured).

A month ago, US resumed its talks with Taliban in Qatar, three months after US President Donald Trump abruptly halted   diplomatic efforts and called it "dead." US President Donald Trump had confirmed resumption of talks, however, had refused to give a timeline for drawdown of US troops.  "Yes," Trump told a small group of reporters at Bagram Air Field on vember 29. 

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(With AP inputs)