The US-led Coalition forces in a statement released on Thursday said that Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and Coalition forces killed 9 insurgents during an extended patrol in Shah Wali Kott district of Kandahar province in the south from Nov. 3 to Nov. 5.
Insurgents ambushed a coalition security patrol using rifles, machine guns, rocket propelled grenades and mortars while ANSF and Coalition forces responded with a variety of weapons, killing nine insurgents, the statement said.
"Civilians reportedly attempted to leave the area, but the insurgents forced them to remain as they continued to fire on the ANSF and Coalition forces along the highway," it noted.
Moreover, the statement quoted Matiwullah Khan, provincial police chief as saying that "several civilians were reportedly injured while attempting to leave the area."
"It is unclear if they were the victims of the high volume of insurgent direct and indirect fire," it said. "No ANSF or Coalition forces casualties were reported."
Meanwhile, U.S. Forces will launch a joint investigation with the Afghan government to look into the civilian casualties in ShahWali Kott district, the statement said.
The Joint delegation consists of the Governor's office, National Directorate of Security, the Regional Police Office, and an investigator with U.S. Forces in Afghanistan investigator, it said.
However, a statement issued by Afghan Presidential Palace Wednesday night revealed that 40 civilians had been killed and 28 others were injured in a Coalition air strike in Shah Wali kot Monday.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday in a press conference immediately after the announcement of the result of U. S. Presidential polls called for change in the strategy on Afghan war.
Karzai emphasized that war against terrorism in Afghanistan's villages would not deliver as Afghansitan itself is a victim of terrorism.
"And instead, the war on terror should be conducted in areas where the sanctuaries of terrorists and their training centers exist," he added.
Hundreds of Afghan civilians have been killed in the U.S.-led war on terror in Afghansitan over the past nearly seven years and the most bloody one was killing 91 non-combatants including women and children in Shind and district of western Herat province in air strikes last August.
Spiraling conflicts and Taliban-linked insurgency have claimed around 5,000 people with over 1500 civilians so far this year in strife-torn Afghanistan while Taliban insurgents have vowed to intensify assaults against interests of Afghan government and international troops before the coming winter.
Source:Xinhua
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