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Afghan Villagers Brought to Back Airstrike Report Afghan Villagers Brought to Back Airstrike Report
(7 months later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghan government brought the seven men to a news conference Sunday morning to bolster its claims that American forces were responsible for the deaths of civilians in a remote village last week. In addition to a dossier of grisly photographs and video clips released earlier, reporters would now hear firsthand accounts from residents of the village. KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghan government brought the seven men to a news conference Sunday morning to bolster its claims that American forces were responsible for the deaths of civilians in a remote village last week. In addition to a dossier of grisly photographs and video clips released earlier, reporters would now hear firsthand accounts from residents of the village.
It was all going according to plan until one journalist handed the men a copy of a photograph from the government’s dossier. Alif Shah Ahmadzai, one of the villagers, declared that the photo showed people at a funeral held in his village on Jan. 16 for civilians killed by American airstrikes the day before. “I know all of them,” he said.It was all going according to plan until one journalist handed the men a copy of a photograph from the government’s dossier. Alif Shah Ahmadzai, one of the villagers, declared that the photo showed people at a funeral held in his village on Jan. 16 for civilians killed by American airstrikes the day before. “I know all of them,” he said.
The trouble was that, as many of the reporters at the news conference already knew, the photograph had been taken four years earlier, in a village hundreds of miles away.The trouble was that, as many of the reporters at the news conference already knew, the photograph had been taken four years earlier, in a village hundreds of miles away.
The briefing with the villagers was hastily arranged by the Afghan government specifically to rebut a report in The New York Times on Sunday that much of the evidence in the dossier, assembled by President Hamid Karzai’s aides, had been misrepresented or could not be verified, including the four-year-old photo.The briefing with the villagers was hastily arranged by the Afghan government specifically to rebut a report in The New York Times on Sunday that much of the evidence in the dossier, assembled by President Hamid Karzai’s aides, had been misrepresented or could not be verified, including the four-year-old photo.
Now, the seven villagers were pointing to the photograph, which was actually taken at a funeral for victims of a NATO airstrike in northern Afghanistan in 2009 and was distributed then by Agence France-Presse and Getty Images.Now, the seven villagers were pointing to the photograph, which was actually taken at a funeral for victims of a NATO airstrike in northern Afghanistan in 2009 and was distributed then by Agence France-Presse and Getty Images.
Mr. Ahmadzai rattled off the names of neighbors he claimed to see in the photo. “The man bending in the picture with a white hat is Ishaq, son of Hajji Aman,” he said. “The other man you see is Alif Jan, son of Hussain Khan. This other man is Mohammad Jan, and the other person is Mohammad Akbar.”Mr. Ahmadzai rattled off the names of neighbors he claimed to see in the photo. “The man bending in the picture with a white hat is Ishaq, son of Hajji Aman,” he said. “The other man you see is Alif Jan, son of Hussain Khan. This other man is Mohammad Jan, and the other person is Mohammad Akbar.”
He said that 13 people from his village, Wazghar, were buried at the funeral, and indignantly brushed aside skeptical questions from the reporters.He said that 13 people from his village, Wazghar, were buried at the funeral, and indignantly brushed aside skeptical questions from the reporters.
“If there were not 13 fresh dead bodies in the village, I would say you should hang me,” he said. “The New York Times spreads lies to put salt in our wounds.”“If there were not 13 fresh dead bodies in the village, I would say you should hang me,” he said. “The New York Times spreads lies to put salt in our wounds.”
There is no dispute that American airstrikes on Jan. 15 did hit Wazghar, a few hours’ drive west of Kabul in a valley controlled by the Taliban, and that some civilians were killed there. The American-led coalition put the number at two, and said the airstrikes were called in after a force of Afghan commandos and their American advisers were pinned down by heavy Taliban fire from the village and were unable to retreat.There is no dispute that American airstrikes on Jan. 15 did hit Wazghar, a few hours’ drive west of Kabul in a valley controlled by the Taliban, and that some civilians were killed there. The American-led coalition put the number at two, and said the airstrikes were called in after a force of Afghan commandos and their American advisers were pinned down by heavy Taliban fire from the village and were unable to retreat.
By contrast, a commission appointed by Mr. Karzai to investigate the episode said that Americans had bombarded Wazghar for eight hours, and had then swept through the village shooting men, women and children in the streets and in their houses. The commission said it could prove that at least 12 civilians were killed, along with four Taliban fighters.By contrast, a commission appointed by Mr. Karzai to investigate the episode said that Americans had bombarded Wazghar for eight hours, and had then swept through the village shooting men, women and children in the streets and in their houses. The commission said it could prove that at least 12 civilians were killed, along with four Taliban fighters.
The seven village men at the news conference stuck to that same outline of events. But in their telling, the bombardment grew fiercer, and the Taliban vanished.The seven village men at the news conference stuck to that same outline of events. But in their telling, the bombardment grew fiercer, and the Taliban vanished.
“American troops bombed the village very brutally with three types of aircraft,” Mr. Ahmadzai said. There were bombers that “were flying high above, and later on fighter jets and in the final stage, helicopters firing rockets.”“American troops bombed the village very brutally with three types of aircraft,” Mr. Ahmadzai said. There were bombers that “were flying high above, and later on fighter jets and in the final stage, helicopters firing rockets.”
He insisted that only civilians were killed, and rejected American assertions that Taliban fighters had opened fire from inside houses. “A Talib would never fire from a house where his family lives,” Mr. Ahmadzai said. “There are no Taliban in our village.”He insisted that only civilians were killed, and rejected American assertions that Taliban fighters had opened fire from inside houses. “A Talib would never fire from a house where his family lives,” Mr. Ahmadzai said. “There are no Taliban in our village.”
Members of the presidential commission, though, said that they did not visit the village to investigate in person, specifically because of the threat posed by insurgents. Instead, the commission’s chairman, Abdul Satar Khawasi, a lawmaker from the area with well-documented anti-American views, sent his driver and bodyguard to interview villagers and take photos and video.Members of the presidential commission, though, said that they did not visit the village to investigate in person, specifically because of the threat posed by insurgents. Instead, the commission’s chairman, Abdul Satar Khawasi, a lawmaker from the area with well-documented anti-American views, sent his driver and bodyguard to interview villagers and take photos and video.
Aimal Faizi, a spokesman for Mr. Karzai, told Agence France-Presse on Sunday that the government was “taking this issue very seriously, to find out who put this photograph in the dossier.” He insisted that even if the 2009 photograph and another years-old image were set aside, “there is no lack of evidence about the operation from at least 10 other photos and matching video in the dossier, as well as from the families and survivors.”Aimal Faizi, a spokesman for Mr. Karzai, told Agence France-Presse on Sunday that the government was “taking this issue very seriously, to find out who put this photograph in the dossier.” He insisted that even if the 2009 photograph and another years-old image were set aside, “there is no lack of evidence about the operation from at least 10 other photos and matching video in the dossier, as well as from the families and survivors.”
For many American and Afghan officials, though, the inclusion of misrepresented photos in the dossier reinforced their doubts about the inquiry. “He sent his driver?” said one incredulous American official. “What is this, ‘Godfather II?’ How can they call that an investigation?”For many American and Afghan officials, though, the inclusion of misrepresented photos in the dossier reinforced their doubts about the inquiry. “He sent his driver?” said one incredulous American official. “What is this, ‘Godfather II?’ How can they call that an investigation?”
American officials are accustomed to seeing the Taliban try to paint the coalition forces as brutal occupiers. But to have Afghan officials do the same is the more frustrating for the fact that the Afghan government is largely financed by the United States and its Western allies, who helped create it and have propped it up with regular cash infusions.American officials are accustomed to seeing the Taliban try to paint the coalition forces as brutal occupiers. But to have Afghan officials do the same is the more frustrating for the fact that the Afghan government is largely financed by the United States and its Western allies, who helped create it and have propped it up with regular cash infusions.
As it happened, Mr. Ahmadzai turned up for the news conference at the government media center carrying about 100,000 afghanis in cash — about $2,000, a princely sum in Afghanistan. The cash was discovered by security guards who searched Mr. Ahmadzai when he arrived.As it happened, Mr. Ahmadzai turned up for the news conference at the government media center carrying about 100,000 afghanis in cash — about $2,000, a princely sum in Afghanistan. The cash was discovered by security guards who searched Mr. Ahmadzai when he arrived.
He explained that he had come straight from the Presidential Palace, and had been given the money by Mr. Karzai’s advisers.He explained that he had come straight from the Presidential Palace, and had been given the money by Mr. Karzai’s advisers.
The president’s office frequently gives money to the relatives of Afghan civilians killed in the conflict. Mr. Ahmadzai said that was the case with his money, and that he had not been paid to back the commission’s version of events in Wazghar.The president’s office frequently gives money to the relatives of Afghan civilians killed in the conflict. Mr. Ahmadzai said that was the case with his money, and that he had not been paid to back the commission’s version of events in Wazghar.
“Do you think we lie for 100,000 afghanis?” Mr. Ahmadzai said. “God may strike us down if we lie for money.”“Do you think we lie for 100,000 afghanis?” Mr. Ahmadzai said. “God may strike us down if we lie for money.”