Now Zad Massacre - Update

Another Young Survivor of The Massacre

Aslam, a local elder of Nawzad district, told AFP he "lost 12 relatives while 10 others including children were injured" in the air strike. He said some shots were fired at ISAF helicopters which flew into the area, adding that the choppers returned after 10 to 20 minutes and fired rockets, killing the "innocent civilians". Distraught father Noor Agha said: "My house was bombarded in the middle of the night and my children were killed. The Taliban were far away from my home, why was my house bombed?"
The strike apparently followed an attack by militants on a US Marine base in Nawzad earlier on Saturday. It is no less than a reckless reprisal like many before it.
The deaths have been condemned by Afghan president Hamid Karzai who said he had warned US and Nato troops that their "arbitrary operations" were killing innocent people every day.The president's remarks follow the strike that killed a group of children and women in southern Helmand province. He said it would be the last.

"From this moment, air strikes on the houses of people are not allowed," Karzai told reporters in Kabul.

Nato says it never conducts such strikes without Afghan government co-ordination and approval. A spokesman for Nato said they will 'review their procedures' for air strikes given Karzai's statement but did not say that it would force any immediate change in tactics. This must be their 500th such 'review'.

"In the days and weeks ahead we will co-ordinate very closely with President Karzai to ensure that his intent is met," spokeswoman Major Sunset Belinsky said.

If Karzai holds to what sounds like an order to international troops to abandon strikes, it could bring the Afghan government in direct conflict with its international allies.

He said in a statement the incident was "a big mistake". He added: "It shows that attention is not being paid."
International Security Assistance Force Commander Regional Command South West Major General John Toolan said: "On behalf of the coalition, I offer our heartfelt apologies to the families and friends of those killed.

Separately, the governor of Nuristan on Sunday told AFP that 18 civilians and 20 police had been killed by "friendly fire" during US-led air strikes.