Afghans check reports of civilian deaths from bombings
KANADHAR, Afghanistan, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Afghan authorities were checking on Friday reported heavy civilian casualties after air strikes by Western forces in the southern province of Helmand.
At least 20 wounded civilians were brought to a main hospital in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital, Helmand's police chief Mohammad Hussein Andiwal said.
Residents have told journalists and provincial officials that between 200 to 300 civilians were killed or wounded in the raids on Thursday in the remote district of Baghran, which lies to the north of Lashkar Gah.
"I can confirm there were heavy bombardments," Andiwal told Reuters by phone from Helmand. "We have heard of heavy casualties too and have sent a team to investigate this."
A provincial lawmaker in Kabul, Mohammad Anwar, also received reports of high civilian casualties.
Both NATO and the U.S.-led coalition forces operate in Helmand, a long-time bastion for Taliban guerrillas.
Coalition forces conducted a precision air strike against two "notorious Taliban commanders" conducting a leadership meeting in a remote area of the Baghran district on Thursday, the U.S. military said in a statement late on Thursday.
It said the fate of the pair was unknown.
Residents and an official said the bombings occurred as a huge crowd of people had gathered to watch a public execution by Taliban fighters.
A Taliban spokesman said there was no public execution and those killed were all civilians attending a ceremony at a shrine.
There was no independent verification of the reported accounts from either side.
If confirmed, the deaths would be the highest civilian casualties caused by foreign troops since the overthrow of Taliban's government in 2001.
More than 350 civilians have been killed in operations by foreign forces this year in Afghanistan, according to government officials and aid workers.
Civilian deaths are a sensitive issue for President Hamid Karzai and the foreign forces fighting the Taliban and their allies.
Already facing criticism over perceived lack of development, ramapant corruption and crime, growing insecurity and a booming drugs trade, Karzai has warned that civilian deaths would have dire consequences for his government and the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan.
