NATO must prevent Afghan civilian casualties: ICRC

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA (Reuters) - NATO must do more to prevent civilian casualties during military operations in Afghanistan, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Tuesday.

NATO-led international forces have killed dozens of civilians in aerial strikes on armed groups which are sometimes carried out without necessary precautions, ICRC director of operations Pierre Kraehenbuehl said.

"We think clearly much more must be done to preserve and spare civilians when these types of military operations are underway," he told a news briefing in Geneva.

Armed opposition groups -- the ICRC term for Taliban guerrillas and their al Qaeda allies -- also have a responsibility not to put civilians at risk, he said.

"We have multiple situations of roadside bombs, suicide attacks, targeted killings. We've also had situations of sustained and significant aerial bombing raids and military operations," Kraehenbuehl said.

The escalating conflict and insecurity have largely confined the ICRC to major cities, reflecting the greatest restrictions on its relief work in Afghanistan in 20 years, it said.

About 50,000 foreign troops led by the U.S. military and NATO are in Afghanistan, battling a resurgent Taliban and their al Qaeda allies.

On Tuesday, U.S-led forces mistakenly killed seven policemen in an air strike in the east of the country after Afghan forces came under attack from the Taliban and asked for help, a provincial official said. He said 13 policemen were missing.