Afghan commanders sacked due to deadly incident

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-08-25 10:30

KABUL -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued a decree on Sunday dismissing two high ranking commanders after the incident in western Herat province which claimed 89 civilians lives.

"Major General Jalandar Shah, commander of the Zafar Corp (207th), and Major Abdul Jabar, commander of a Commando Battalion, were dismissed for neglecting their duties and concealing the facts of huge civilian casualties in Shindand district of Herat province," said a statement from the Presidential press office.

Meanwhile, President Karzai ordered the Defense Ministry to summon General Jalandar Shah and Lieutenant Abdul Jabar to Kabul for further investigation, the statement said.

According to the statement added the President once again extended his condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims of this tragic incident.

A statement released by the Interior Ministry on Friday said the US-led Coalition forces carried out air raids against the suspected hideout of militants in Shindand district Thursday night, leaving more than 76 civilians dead, while military sources stressed 30 militants were killed in the air strikes.

Kai Eide, the special envoy of UN Secretary General to Afghanistan condemned the killing of civilians by international troops on Saturday and demanded a thorough investigation.

He said "The United Nations has always made clear that civilian casualties are unacceptable and undermine the trust and confidence of the Afghan people."

International troops based in Afghanistan to hunt down militants had more than once committed such mistakes and harmed non-combatants and the repetition of the error has prompted Afghans including President Karzai to call on foreign troops to coordinate operation with Afghan authorities in order to avoid harming civilians.

More than 3,000 people including some 800 civilians have been killed in Afghan violent incidents so far this year.