50 killed in military operations in Afghan

Kabul May 7: The United Nations today said there were credible reports that at least 50 civilians had been killed in the military operations in the Shindand district of Herat province in western Afghanistan, but added that their investigations were not complete.

The spokesperson for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA), Adrian Edwards said the UN was contemplating sending a second investigative team to the area.

The first team was sent following widespread reports of civilian casualties in a military operation led by the US special forces.

While the US forces claimed that a large number of Taliban had been killed in the area, the local population has been demonstrating accusing the US military of having killed a large number of civilians, a charge that has been corroborated by Afghan government officials at the district level.

Mr Edwards said one of the purposes of the team was to look at civilian casualties and that were concerns about the disproportionate use of force.

While refusing to comment on whether the UN had determined the use of disproportionate force, Mr Edwards said it has been urging the government and the international forces to determine the truth.

''Everything must be done to avoid putting civilians at risk and it applies to all sides in the conflict,'' he said.

The UN was reserved in its comments on the bill passed by the upper house of the Meshrano Jirga seeking talks and reconciliation with the Taliban.

While expressing support for initiatives to bring peace, the UNAMA said any such initiative would have to be on the basis of the Afghan Constitution. Mr Edwards said the UNAMA did not support any move to provide amnesty to those involved in war crimes.

Speaking on the deportation of unregistered Afghan refugees from Iran, the UN said the governments of Afghanistan and Iran were primarily responsible for resolving the issue.

UNI