A NATO airstrike killed at least 27 civilians in central Afghanistan, the Cabinet said Monday, the third time a mistaken coalition strike has killed noncombatants since the start of a major offensive in the south aimed at winning over the population.
The top NATO commander, U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, apologized to the Afghan president, NATO said.
The Afghanistan Council of Ministers strongly condemned the airstrike Sunday in Uruzgan province, calling it "unjustifiable."
It said reports indicated that NATO planes fired at a convoy of three vehicles, killing at least 27 people, including four women and a child, and injuring 12 others.
It urged NATO to "closely coordinate and exercise maximum care before conducting any military operation" to avoid further civilian casualties.
The airstrike was not related to the massive ongoing NATO offensive on the southern Taliban stronghold of Marjah in neighboring Helmand province. But it could still hurt government and NATO efforts to win support from the local population in their fight against Taliban militants.
NATO confirmed that its planes fired on what it believed was a group of insurgents on their way to attack NATO and Afghan forces, but later discovered that women and children were in the vehicles. A number of people were killed and the injured were transported to medical facilities, it said in a statement.
The Afghan government and NATO have launched an investigation.
AP
Afghan Cabinet: NATO Airstrike Kills 27 Civilians
A NATO airstrike killed at least 27 civilians in central Afghanistan, the Cabinet said Monday.