NATO forces kill six civilians in northern Afghanistan

Apr 5, 2011, 12:22 GMT

Kabul - Six civilians were killed by international forces in a night operation in northern Afghanistan, an official said Tuesday.

'NATO-led forces in an operation killed six civilians, all men, and injured four others in Sayad district of Sar-i-Pul province,' Governor Sayed Anwar Rahmati said.

The raid against a civilian house took place Monday night in the district's Pesht-e-Bagh area, Rahmati said. The coalition forces detained four others, including one possible Taliban fighter, he added.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said they had killed several individuals in a night operation targeting a Taliban shadow governor.

'What I can tell you right now is that a joint operation of Afghan and coalition forces killed several individuals and detained suspected people in Sayad district of Sar-i-Pul province last night,' ISAF spokesman Michael Johnson said.

'The coalition forces came under fire from these individuals. So the forces engaged and returned fire, resulting in the death of several of them.'

The ISAF spokesman said they were looking into the identity of the deceased. 'We are not certain why the individuals fired at the forces first,' he said.

Civilian casualties have been a major issue of contention between the Afghan government and international forces, who have been fighting the Taliban since 2001.

The deaths come at a time when Afghanistan sees growing anti-Western sentiment. Demonstrations against the burning of a Koran by a church turned violent in several parts of the country, killing at least 23 people, including seven foreigners.

Last month, Afghan President Hamid Karzai asked NATO and US forces to stop all operations that cause civilians fatalities.

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