27 Civilians Killed In Afghan Accidental Airstrike; U.S. Denies Charges

Kabul, Afghanistan (AHN) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai ordered an inquiry into allegations that up to 27 civilians were killed in a missile strike by coalition forces in the nation's eastern region on Sunday.

The fighter aircraft was attacking militants near the border, bur reportedly killed civilians attending a wedding ceremony in the second similar military attack in three days in eastern Nangarhar province in Afghanistan.

However, U.S. military officials claimed that the missile strikes were only targeted at the militants.

Afghan President had already ordered the defense, interior ministries and local government officials to investigate into the attack carried out by U.S. helicopters striking civilians on Friday in which 15 people died.

In the second incident, the local government official representing the Deh Bala district of Nangarhar province said the people killed in the strike include several women and children.

Similar incident was reported in July 2002 when a group of people attending a wedding party were struck by a U.S. military missile in Oruzgan Province, killing 34 and sparking unrest among the Afghan people.

Witnesses said the U.S.-led coalition mistook "celebratory fire," which is a part of the traditional wedding ceremony in Afghanistan, for hostile fire.

But U.S. military officials have denied targeting civilians by saying that insurgents hide among and intimidate civilian groups and some places in the Deh Rawod area were positively detected as sources of anti-aircraft fire.

"President Karzai has repeatedly emphasized the [need for] coordination of military operations and has been deeply saddened since learning about this incident," said a statement released by the presidential palace on Sunday.