[R-G] Afghanistan says thousands flee fearing NATO strikes

[Anthony Fenton]

Afghanistan says thousands flee fearing NATO strikes

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/13/2242669.htm?section=justin

Up to 6,000 people have fled their homes in a southern Afghanistan  
district fearing NATO strikes amid a large-scale operation against  
Taliban militants, an official said.

The mass exodus from Garmser, a remote district in troubled Helmand  
province, comes as NATO-led troops hunt Taliban militants and their  
allies in an operation that kicked off two weeks ago.

"Around 900 families, counting for about 5,000 to 6,000 people, have  
left the area," refugees ministry spokesman Shamsuddin Sarhadi said.

The displaced families were being put up in a government-run camp in  
Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand which is 50 kilometres (30 miles)  
from the district centre Garmser, he said.

The military operation launched on April 28 is being led by US Marines  
and British military. The soldiers are searching compounds and trying  
to root out militants, destroy weapons caches and take positions held  
by the rebels.

There have been some clashes and air strikes, and military forces say  
they have killed "several" rebels although they have not released  
figures.

The United Nations has said it was ready to assist the affected people  
but it did not know how many had been displaced.

-AFP