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US 'erased Afghan attack footage' More civilians die in Afghanistan
(about 2 hours later)
The Associated Press is to complain to the US military after journalists said US soldiers deleted footage of the aftermath of an attack in Afghanistan. Nine Afghan civilians have been killed in a bombing raid in Kapisa province, Afghan officials say.
President Hamid Karzai said coalition forces had opened fire on civilians, killing 10 people as they responded to a suicide attack on Sunday. US forces have confirmed carrying out an air strike in the area but say they have no accurate casualty information.
In another incident Afghan officials said on Monday that a Nato air strike had killed nine civilians. The news comes shortly after US forces were accused of killing 10 civilians during a shoot out on Sunday in Nangarhar province.
Nato has said it is trying to reduce civilian casualties in its operations. Journalists say US troops confiscated their photos and video footage of the aftermath of the violence.
Co-ordinated attack Nato denial
Freelance journalists working for the Associated Press said troops erased photos and video showing a vehicle in which three people were shot dead during Sunday's incident in the eastern province of Nangarhar. News of the air strike in Kapisa came first from the province's deputy governor, Sayed Daud Hashimi.
Two soldiers with a translator came and said, 'Why are you taking pictures? You don't have permission' Photographer Rahmat Gul He said the nine dead civilians included five women and three children and that the raid was carried out by Nato forces. Nato have denied any involvement.
A military spokesman said he did not have any confirmed reports that US forces had confiscated filmed material. But US forces say they dropped two 2,000 lb bombs during an air strike in Kapisa after a US base had come under attack. A US spokesman said they had no information yet on any deaths.
The Americans say the fighting started when a convoy of marines was attacked by a suicide bomber and came under co-ordinated small-arms fire. The news came shortly after President Hamid Karzai had condemned an incident on Sunday in which US forces were accused of firing indiscriminately at civilians in the eastern province of Nangarhar.
'Co-ordinated attack'
The Americans say the Nangarhar fighting, near the city of Jalalabad, started when a convoy of marines was attacked by a suicide bomber and came under co-ordinated small-arms fire.
Local people accused US soldiers of targeting civilians in Nangarhar
They say their soldiers returned fire, and acknowledge that at least eight Afghan civilians were killed, with a further 35 injured.They say their soldiers returned fire, and acknowledge that at least eight Afghan civilians were killed, with a further 35 injured.
President Karzai "strongly condemned the incident which took place due to a suicide attack on a coalition convoy and which prompted the coalition force firing on civilians that killed 10 people", a statement from his office said. President Karzai has "strongly condemned the incident which took place due to a suicide attack on a coalition convoy and which prompted the coalition force firing on civilians that killed 10 people", a statement from his office said.
Reports say that as they left the scene along a busy highway, the Americans fired indiscriminately on civilians and their vehicles.Reports say that as they left the scene along a busy highway, the Americans fired indiscriminately on civilians and their vehicles.
Thousands of local people took to the streets on Sunday to protest against what happened. The Afghan authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the militant attack.Thousands of local people took to the streets on Sunday to protest against what happened. The Afghan authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the militant attack.
'You will face problems' The Associated Press news agency says it will complain to the US military after journalists said US soldiers deleted footage of the aftermath of the Nangarhar violence.
A freelance photographer working for the Associated Press and a cameraman working for AP Television News say they arrived at the site about half an hour after the suicide bombing. Freelance journalists working for the Associated Press said troops erased photos and video showing a vehicle in which three people were shot dead during Sunday's incident in the eastern province of Nangarhar.
Thirty-five people were also injured during the incident
Witnesses at the scene said three civilians in the four-wheel drive vehicle had been killed by US forces fleeing the attack, the journalists said.
"When I went near the four-wheel drive, I saw the Americans taking pictures of the same car, so I started taking pictures," photographer Rahmat Gul said.
"Two soldiers with a translator came and said, 'Why are you taking pictures? You don't have permission.'"
Mr Gul said troops took his camera, deleted his photos and returned it to him.
Khanwali Kamran, a reporter for the Afghan channel Ariana Television, said the American soldiers also deleted his footage, AP reported.
"They warned me that if it is aired ... then, 'You will face problems,'" Mr Kamran was quoted by the news agency as saying.
Reporters Without Borders condemned the alleged actions of the US forces, saying they dealt with the media poorly.
"Why did the soldiers do it if they don't have anything to hide?" said Jean-Francois Julliard, a spokesman for the Paris-based group.
US military spokesman Lt Col David Accetta said he did not have any confirmed reports that coalition forces "have been involved in confiscating cameras or deleting images".
In a separate incident nine civilians were killed in a Nato air strike in the province of Kapisa, its deputy governor, Sayed Daud Hashimi says.
He said the casualties included five women and three children.
Nato officials say they are looking into the incident.