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| Afghanistan |
| Ambush, Firefight, Mob Protests in Afghanistan |
| 2007-03-04 |
| Afghan, U.S. reports on firefight differ By RAHIM FAIEZ, Associated Press Writer Well, that source makes the whole story perfectly credible. JALALABAD, Afghanistan - U.S. Marines fleeing a suicide bomber and militant ambush on Sunday opened fire on civilian cars and pedestrians on a busy highway in eastern Afghanistan, wounded Afghans said. Up to 10 people were killed and 35 wounded in the violence, officials said. A suicide attacker detonated an explosives-filled minivan as the American convoy approached, then militant gunmen fired on the troops inside the vehicles, who returned fire, the U.S. military said. As the Americans sped away, they treated every car and person along the highway as a potential attacker, said Mohammad Khan Katawazi, the district chief of Shinwar. But Maj. William Mitchell, a U.S. military spokesman, said those killed and injured may have been shot by the militants. And those who were not the attackers were more than happy to conceal, or at least avoid revealing, the actual attackers. More than a half dozen Afghans recuperating from bullet wounds told The Associated Press that the U.S. forces fired indiscriminately along at least a six-mile stretch of one of eastern Afghanistan's busiest highways — a route often filled not only with cars and trucks but Afghans on foot and bicycles. "We certainly believe it's possible that the incoming fire from the ambush was wholly or partly responsible for the civilian casualties," Mitchell said. Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary said the chief of the Interior Ministry's criminal division would lead a delegation to Nangarhar province on Monday to investigate. Bashary said it appeared that gunfire from the U.S. soldiers caused most of the casualties. The gunfire from Americans prompted angry demonstrations in the region — just 30 miles west of the Pakistan border. Hundreds of Afghans blocked the road and threw rocks at police, with some demonstrators shouting "Death to America! Death to Karzai," a reference to President Hamid Karzai. 'Rent-a-mob' should be pretty easy in this part of 'stan.' At the Jalalabad hospital, several victims said the American convoy approached them on the highway and opened fire. As the convoy neared, many cars pulled over to the side of the road, but were still hit by gunfire. The U.S. forces involved in the attack and ensuing gunfire were part of the U.S.-led coalition, not NATO's International Security Assistance Force. An official who asked not to be identified said the troops were Marine Special Forces. Then I call BS on the 'indiscriminate firing' accusation. A man claiming to speak for Hezb-e-Islami, a group he said is linked with the Taliban, claimed responsibility for the bombing and identified the attacker as an Afghan named Haji Ihsanullah in a telephone call to AP. The spokesman said that the attack was carried out by a breakaway faction of Hezb-e-Islami that was once led by Younis Khalis, a former mujahedeen commander who died last year. The group is now believed to be led by a son of Khalis. |
| Posted by:Glenmore |
| #5 Once again, folks in a Pashtun Taliban-supporting district making a stink. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2007-03-04 22:56 |
| #4 You have to understand that anyone not wearing a military uniform is a civilian. Of course, an alternative definition is anyone not helping you against the enemy IS the enemy (G. W. Bush, 9/01). |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-03-04 19:09 |
| #3 Here how the NYT titled it: 16 Civilians Die as U.S. Troops Open Fire in Afghanistan Link:http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/04/world/asia/04cnd-afghan.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin |
| Posted by: Unique Battle 2007-03-04 19:01 |
| #2 RAHIM FAIEZ, Associated Press Writer sure asshole.. |
| Posted by: RD 2007-03-04 18:41 |
| #1 Revised Headline: Marines Sprung Bad Guy Ambush; One Marine Wounded. See how easy that was? |
| Posted by: badanov 2007-03-04 13:36 |