U.S. says civilians killed in west Afghan strikes

By Emma Graham-Harrison

KABUL (Reuters) - The U.S. military acknowledged on Saturday that air strikes in western Afghanistan this week had killed civilians and Afghan President Hamid Karzai put the death toll at up to 130.

In a joint statement with the Afghan government, U.S. forces said non-combatants were among the dead but it was not possible to determine how many because the bodies had been buried.

Karzai said he had received an official update putting the number of innocent casualties from the strikes, which hit crowded homes in two villages in Farah province, as high as 130.

If that toll was confirmed it would be the deadliest single incident affecting Afghan civilians since U.S.-led forces started battling the Taliban in 2001.

The deaths in Farah have inflamed Afghan anger about the impact of air strikes, an issue which is already poisoning ties between Kabul and Washington. It overshadowed a meeting between Karzai and U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington this week.

The Afghan leader went on U.S. television Friday to call for an end to the bombardments within his borders.

"The air strikes are not acceptable," Karzai told CNN. "Terrorism is not in Afghan villages, not in Afghan homes. And you cannot defeat terrorists by air strikes."

Obama had expressed "sorrows and apologies" over the deaths in their White House summit, he said.

HUMAN SHIELDS?

The joint U.S.-Afghan statement suggested Taliban fighters may have worsened the toll by using civilians as human shields.

"Reports also indicate that Taliban fighters deliberately forced villagers into houses from which they then attacked Afghan national security forces and coalition forces," it said.

U.S. military officials have said they think the toll might be lower than Karzai's estimate or a figure of 147 victims provided by villagers, without giving further details.

The delay in calculating the toll may fuel anger among Afghans who have long resented Western forces' handling of reported civilian deaths.

U.S. and NATO commanders have put new drills in place in recent months, responding more quickly, coordinating their investigations with Afghan authorities, apologizing publicly and offering compensation.

The Farah incident shows further changes are needed, critics said.