The NATO airstrike is no exception
“In order to avoid media hype and criticism of US/ NATO forces, Afghan government/ANA has not disclosed the incident of killing of ANA soldiers by US/NATO war planes. Such incidents have occurred in the past as well where ANSF personnel died due to friendly fire.”
On 25 May 2017 during Afghan National Army (ANA) operation in Taaloki and Mullah Sardar area of Kunduz district of Kunduz province against Taliban militant, ANA requested for US/ NATO air support to target Taliban militants. Unfortunately, US/ NATO war planes instead of engaging Taliban militant’s locations mistakenly targeted/ bombarded ANA positions. Resultantly, 19 ANA soldiers were killed while 31 ANA soldiers were injured.
In order to avoid media hype and criticism of US/ NATO forces, Afghan government/ANA has not disclosed the incident of killing of ANA soldiers by US/NATO war planes. Such incidents have occurred in the past as well where ANSF personnel died due to friendly fire. On 4 November 2016, US air strikes killed at least 30 Afghan civilians, including women and children, in the volatile northern province of Kunduz, officials said, after a Taliban assault left two American soldiers dead. The strike triggered emotionally charged protests in the provincial capital, with the victims’ relatives parading mutilated bodies of dead children piled into open trucks through the streets of Kunduz city. The carnage underscores worsening insecurity after the Taliban last year overran the city for the second time in a year, as NATO-backed Afghan forces struggle to rein in the insurgents. US-backed Afghan special operations forces were conducting an operation against the Taliban on the outskirts of the city when they came under insurgent fire, prompting calls for air support.
Provincial spokesman Mahmood Danish briefed the media that in the bombardment, 30 Afghan civilians were martyred and 25 others were wounded, adding that the dead included infants aged as young as three months and other children.
NATO confirmed on Twitter that the air strikes were conducted by US aircraft.
Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, a senior spokesman for the NATO mission stated that as part of an Afghan operation, friendly forces received direct fire and air strikes were conducted to defend themselves. He clarified that NATO takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously, noting that NATO would help the Afghans investigate the incident, but he stressed it was an Afghan operation overall.
A US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said “multiple” manned US planes were involved in the strikes, and they were targeted by small-arms fire from the ground. Civilian casualties caused by NATO forces have been one of the most contentious issues in the 16-year campaign against the insurgents, prompting strong public and government criticism.
Errant air strikes contributed to a 42 percent jump in 2016 in casualties caused by pro-government forces compared to last year, according to the UN.
Amnesty International, condemning the incident, has stated that “Previous violations of international humanitarian law by US/NATO troops still remain un-investigated and unpunished.” It added that “This cannot be another example of inaction in the face of such loss of life.”
Earlier still, on 7 March 2014, on the eve of Afghan President Hamid Karzai handing over powers, Zahir Azimi, Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry spokesman, informed via his Twitter account: “At 3:30am this morning, due to a NATO air strike in Charkh district, Logar province, five service members of the Afghan national army were martyred and eight others were wounded”.
Khalilullah Kamal, Charkh district governor, told media that he had visited the site of the attack, which he said was from a US drone. He informed that the post was totally destroyed. He elaborated that the Americans used to be in that post but since they left, the ANA took over. The post is located on a hilltop; hence the attack was conducted by US drones.
NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) issued a statement confirming that at least five Afghan soldiers had been killed accidentally. He declared that an investigation is being conducted at this time to determine the circumstances that led to this unfortunate incident. ISAF offered its condolences to the families of the ANA soldiers who lost their lives and were wounded and announced that it will determine what actions will be taken to ensure incidents like this do not happen again. An ISAF source told media that the soldiers were bombed because they were mistaken for insurgents. The aircraft engaged suspected insurgents on a ridge overlooking Nawer village, adding that the victims were later identified as soldiers.
NATO’s fleet of fighter jets, attack helicopters, unmanned drones and transport aircraft have supported ground troops in operations against the Taliban but while air strikes have been an important weapon in the fight against the fighters, they have also proved hugely controversial since they have led to numerous civilian deaths. Civilian casualties have been one of the most sensitive issues of the war.
As if in retaliation to the slaughter of ANA soldiers by NATO, three US soldiers were killed and another wounded during a joint US-Afghan military operation on 10 June 2017 in Nangarhar province. The Pentagon identified the three soldiers as Sgt. Eric M. Houck, 25, of Baltimore; Sgt. William M. Bays, 29, of Barstow, California; and Cpl. Dillon C. Baldridge, 22, of Youngsville, North Carolina. An American official said the soldiers were shot in an apparent insider attack, also known as a “green-on-blue” incident because of the color-coding system used by NATO. During such assaults, members of the Afghan security forces are known to target US and other NATO soldiers.
The shooter in last Saturday’s incident was an Afghan army commando, Nangarhar provincial spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said. He said the assailant was killed by Afghan forces. The shootings occurred in the Achin District, where US and Afghan troops have been carrying out a month’s long offensive against a local affiliate of ISIS, officials said.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the militants claimed responsibility for the attack.
“A Mujahid (freedom fighter) infiltrator of the Islamic Emirate who had enrolled himself in the Kabul government’s army attacked American soldiers in Lata Band area of Achin District in Nangarhar province today in the afternoon,” said a written statement in Pashto. “The American invaders were there to support their Afghan slaves.”
In Kabul, meanwhile, the US military command said an unspecified number of Afghan police were killed and wounded in a “friendly fire” incident during a joint Afghan-US operation overnight also on the same date. US Forces Afghanistan said members of the Afghan Border Police in Helmand province were killed and wounded during an operation involving US and Afghan defence and security forces. The deaths occurred when a US aircraft fired on Afghan police, said Omar Zawak, spokesman for the governor of Helmand.
US Forces Afghanistan was investigating the incident.
“If friendly fire persists in taking a toll of each side, the military mission in Afghanistan is likely to go awry.”
There are about 8,400 US troops in Afghanistan. The US counterterrorism mission is separate from the NATO-led effort to train, advise and assist the Afghan army and police force in the fight against the Taliban. If friendly fire persists in taking a toll of each side, the military mission in Afghanistan is likely to go awry.
