PAN, August 9, 2008

19 civilians perish as coalition troops bomb Kapisa

After the airstrike people gathered on the spot and the air force again bombed killing 15 people

Ahmad Javed Javed

MAHMOOD RAQI: 31 civilians including one woman and children were killed and injured as coalition troops bombed Tagab district in central Kapisa province, officials said on Saturday.

Maj. Gen. Matiullah Safi, police chief of the province told Pajhwok Afghan News that Jwe Bar village of the district was bombed at noon when two foreign forces were injured in a Taliban ambush in the village.

He said initial reports revealed that more than ten people have been killed in the bombing but it was not certain whether the killed were Taliban or civilians.

However a resident of the village told this news agency that the bombing took place after the attack of Taliban.

He said after the airstrike people gathered on the spot and the air force again bombed the gathering killing 15 people including a woman, four men and children.

A parliamentarian from Kapisa province, Haji Mohammad Iqbal Safi on the other hand said that Taliban attack took place in Korghal village while the airstrike was in Jwe Bar village which was eight kilometers away from Korghal.

He said that 19 people were killed in the airstrike who were all civilians.

However, Ahmad, a local claiming to be the regional spokesman for Taliban said Taliban received no casualties while 20 civilians have been killed in the air strike.

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