Afghan President meets survivors of US strikes

AFGHANISTAN: President Hamid Karzai travelled to remote southwestern Afghanistan Tuesday to meet survivors of deadly air strikes, and reiterated his demand for US forces to “stop bombing” civilians.

Karzai took a military plane to the small town of Farah with US ambassador Karl Eikenberry in a visit that was kept under wraps because of the threats from insurgents in an area of growing Taliban activity.

The town is about 50 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of the Bala Buluk district, where the May 4-5 strikes against the Taliban killed 140 civilians, including 95 children and teenagers, according to an Afghan government inquiry.

The president and ambassador expressed their condolences in an address in the town’s mosque that was packed with hundreds of men, a US official travelling with them told AFP.

Karzai thanked the United States for its help in rebuilding the Afghan security forces and in other fields, according to a statement released by his office.

“But we are telling America: consider this nation a friend. Those who are wearing turbans and local costumes are not Taliban, so stop bombing them,” he was quoted as saying.

“We want terrorism to be defeated in a way that Afghanistan’s people’s lives and dignity are not harmed. Therefore we are demanding a halt to such operations.”

Some of the people affected by the strikes, which officials say were called in by troops under fire from insurgents, travelled to Farah to meet the president. HERAT, Wednesday, AFP