US troops open fire on civilians, Afghan doctor killed
Thu Nov 23, 7:05 AM ET
US troops opened fire on a civilian car on the outskirts of the Afghan capital, causing a traffic accident that killed an Afghan doctor and wounded four other people, officials said.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement a civilian van was "observed driving suspiciously" Wednesday near a US patrol on a road between Kabul and the main US base at Bagram, north of the city.
"ISAF troops signalled for the vehicle to stop and fired a number of shots. The driver subsequently lost control of the van and unfortunately crashed," it said on Thursday.
"Regrettably, one of the civilians was killed and four were injured."
The Afghan interior ministry confirmed the incident saying it involved US troops and it had been told the dead man was a doctor. Reports said he had been working at a health facility in Bagram.
Civilian deaths caused by foreign troops have become increasingly sensitive in Afghanistan with human rights groups expressing alarm at the mounting toll which is disaffecting the population.
ISAF soldiers were accused of killing scores of civilians in an October 24 raid against Taliban fighters in the southern province of Kandahar. The force has not released the results of its investigation but The New York Times last week cited a senior ISAF official saying 31 civilians were killed.
Wednesday's incident was not far from where a deadly traffic accident involving a US military truck sparked day-long rioting in May in the centre of Kabul. Around a dozen people were killed.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061123/wl_sthasia_afp/afghanistanunrestus
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