Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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June 23, 2007

Karzai Condemns Civilian Casualties in Afghanistan
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=17EB53E:A6F02AD83191E1600D08FFF6491B1D4D9574F7DCC14957C0 Afghan president
accuses NATO, US-led forces of carelessly killing civilians in recent
operations



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Afghan president Hamid Karzai speaks a press conference at the
presidential palace in Kabul, 23 Jun 2007Afghan President Hamid Karzai
has accused NATO and U.S.-led forces of carelessly killing civilians
in recent operations.

Mr. Karzai told reporters in Kabul Saturday that more than 52
civilians have been killed in various operations over the last 10
days.

A coalition of Afghan and Western aid agencies says 230 civilians have
been killed this year, caught up in the crossfire between insurgents
and international military forces in Afghanistan.

In fighting Saturday, military officials say a soldier with the
U.S.-led coalition was killed in clashes with Taleban forces in
southern Helmand province. An official statement said two other
soldiers were wounded in the fighting near Langar village.

In other violence, NATO-led forces in Afghanistan said they killed as
many as 60 Taleban fighters in overnight air and ground attacks near
the southeastern border with Pakistan.







NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (14 Jun 2007)On Friday,
NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer called for an
investigation into civilian deaths in southern Afghanistan following
an allied airstrike. But he put the blame on the Taleban, saying it
uses civilians as human shields.

An Afghan police official said a NATO air strike late Thursday killed
25 civilians, including women and children in Helmand province.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.


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