U.S. commander in Afghanistan apologizes for civilian death, injuries
Source: Los Angeles Times
U.S. commander in Afghanistan apologizes for civilian death, injuries
By David Zucchino
November 29, 2013, 7:39 a.m.
KABUL, Afghanistan The American commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan telephoned Afghan President Hamid Karzai to apologize for an airstrike that killed at least one Afghan civilian and badly wounded two others, a coalition official said Friday.
Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. "expressed deep regret" for the civilian casualties, the official said, and promised a joint investigation with Afghan officials into circumstances surrounding the attack Thursday. Dunford made the call late Thursday after Karzai angrily denounced the United States, saying it has repeatedly shown disregard for the lives of Afghan civilians.
The airstrike, which Karzai said was from a American drone aircraft, came at a tense moment in U.S.-Afghan relations. Karzai warned earlier this week that if one more Afghan civilian was killed by American forces, he would never sign a proposed post-2014 security agreement.
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