AMID DISPUTE OVER AFGHAN CIVILIAN DEATHS, UN TEAM VISITS SITE OF US ATTACK

AMID DISPUTE OVER AFGHAN CIVILIAN DEATHS, UN TEAM VISITS SITE OF US ATTACK
New York, Jan 27 2009 4:10PM
A team from the human rights unit of the UN Mission in Afghanistan (<"http://www.unama-afg.org/">UNAMA) today visited Garoosh in the eastern province of Laghman, after a dispute arose over whether or not civilians had been killed in an attack there over the weekend involving United States forces.

"Early, but as yet uncorroborated findings point to both civilian and anti-Government elements being among the dead," UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters in New York.

UNAMA's findings are still being verified, she added.

Meanwhile, the UN Mission is awaiting the findings of a joint US-Afghan investigation into the incident, which occurred on Saturday.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai was quoted in media reports as saying the attack led to the death of 16 civilians, while the US claims that 15 armed militants were killed in the incident.
Jan 27 2009 4:10PM
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