THE Afghan government admitted overnight that about a dozen people killed in a military strike by the US-led coalition might have been "terrorists" and not police as reported by Afghan officials. President Hamid Karzai had angrily condemned the attack on Thursday, saying the casualties were Afghan policemen patrolling in eastern Paktika province. He was informed about the attack by Afghan officials, including the provincial governor, a statement said. But a high-ranking government official said that it now appeared the men were "terrorists not our police."| “Afghan soldiers had seen the attackers get into a truck and drive off. Coalition surveillance followed to track the trucks that were later attacked. After the strike coalition forces found two wounded men at the scene who were wearing Afghan border police uniforms... ” |
Afghan soldiers had seen the attackers get into a truck and drive off, he said. Coalition surveillance followed to track the trucks that were later attacked, Collins said. After the strike coalition forces found two wounded men at the scene who were wearing Afghan border police uniforms and identified themselves as police from a district that was 75 km away. However they "clearly appeared" to be headed in the opposite direction to that area and towards the border with Pakistan and were being evasive, he said. This could mean they were either rebels in police uniform or corrupt police, with corruption widespread in Afghanistan.