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March 16, 2010

US Raid Kills Two Pregnant Women and Teenage Girl in Afghanistan
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The Times of London has revealed US and Afghan gunmen killed two
pregnant mothers, a teenage girl and two local officials last month in a
botched nighttime raid in the Paktia province of Afghanistan. The raid
came more than two weeks after the commander of US and NATO forces in
Afghanistan issued new guidelines designed to limit the use of night
raids. Survivors said US and NATO officials tried to cover up the
killings by claiming that the three women had been discovered bound and
gagged, apparently killed execution style. The Times reports the two
Afghan men were shot dead while trying to proclaim their innocence. The
women were hit by the same volley of fire while crouching in a hallway.
One of the mothers killed had ten children, the other had six children.
The families were offered compensation of $2,000 for each of the
victims.



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