AFGHANISTAN: The US military said yesterday it had launched its biggest ever ground operation against Islamic militants in Afghanistan but worried a bungled attack that killed nine children could alienate Afghans.
The military said that, at the weekend, it launched "Operation Avalanche" across eastern and southern Afghanistan, where Taliban and allied Islamic militants have regained strength and carried out a series of attacks on foreign troops and aid workers.
About 2,000 of the 11,500 US-led troops in the country are taking part in the mission designed to kill or capture militants and make the area safe for aid and reconstruction work, US spokesman Lieut Col Bryan Hilferty told a news briefing.
"This one is the largest we have ever designed," he said at the US headquarters at Bagram, north of Kabul.
Lieut Col Hilferty said the operation involved four infantry battalions as well as soldiers from the Afghan National Army and militia.
State-run Kabul Television said US-led and Afghan forces had wounded two militants and detained 15 in the Sayed Karam district of the southern province of Paktika. They had also discovered caches of artillery and mortar ammunition.
Overshadowing the offensive is the deaths of nine children killed by a US air strike on the village of Petaw in the southern province of Ghazni on Saturday.
They are the latest civilians killed accidentally by US-led forces pursuing remnants of the Taliban regime overthrown in late 2001 and members of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
Lieut Col Hilferty said the strike by A-10 "tankbuster" aircraft firing 30mm high-explosive and incendiary rounds had been carefully planned to kill a "known terrorist".
"Unfortunately, when we got there, we found the bodies of nine children and one adult man."
Afghan officials said the intended target, Mullah Wazir, was not at home at the time.
Asked if such mistakes could boost support for militants, he replied: "I think it is possible such mistakes could make Afghans think ill of the coalition."
The United Nations said on Sunday it was "profoundly distressed" by news of the children's deaths, and called for a swift investigation and for its findings to be made public.
It said the incident could have a negative impact in the troubled south.
Lieut Col Hilferty said US law did not allow payment of compensation to victims' families, but US forces aimed to help the village with reconstruction assistance.
"We do make mistakes. War is an inexact art, there is a fog and a friction in war, but we will continue to do the best we can to help them," he said.
A statement from President Hamid Karzai said he had asked the US-led force for an explanation and sent his own investigation team.
Foreign ministry spokesman Mr Omar Samad said the government understood the children's deaths were unintentional. He added: "Everyone realises that mistakes have been made in the past and every effort must be made to prevent a recurrence." Lieut Col Hilferty said the new US operation followed on from "Operation Mountain Resolve", which concluded in the Nuristan and Kunar provinces at the weekend.
He said that, in November, the US-led force had captured and destroyed tens of thousands of artillery rounds, rockets, grenades, bombs and small arms.