US military apologises for Afghan civilian deaths

WASHINGTON, May 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. military apologised today for the killing of Afghan civilians, calling a March incident a ''terrible mistake'' and making payments to families of the dead, a US officer said.

Army Col. John Nicholson, commander of forces in eastern Afghanistan, said US forces killed 19 people and wounded 50 in a March 4 incident, in which Marines are believed to have responded to an ambush on one of their convoys.

Nicholson, in a statement given to victims' families and later read to reporters, said he was ''ashamed'' that Americans had killed Afghans.

''I stand before you today deeply, deeply ashamed and terribly sorry that Americans have killed and wounded innocent Afghan people,'' he said.

''This was a terrible, terrible mistake and my nation grieves with you for your loss and suffering. We humbly and respectfully ask for your forgiveness,'' he said.

Around 60 civilians have been killed in raids by US-led troops, according to Afghan officials, sparking days of protests against the United States and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Karzai last week said Afghanistan could ''no longer accept civilian casualties.'' The US military has launched an investigation into one case of civilian killings. In that March 4 incident in eastern Afghanistan, Marines are believed to have killed or wounded civilians following a suicide attack on a convoy. Some Marines have been relieved of duty.

Nicholson would not provide any details into that probe.

But he said civilian killings hurt the military's counter-insurgency operations by straining relations with locals.

''Events such as that do set us back with the population, and they have to be addressed very directly and forthrightly with the Afghan people,'' he said.

He said the military made payments to families totaling about 2,000 dollars per victim.

REUTERS PJ RK2200