[R-G] Demonstrators condemn killing civilians by troops in E Afghanistan

[Anthony Fenton]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/07/content_10962344.htm

  Demonstrators condemn killing civilians by troops in E Afghanistan
www.chinaview.cn 2009-03-07 14:42:00 	  	

     KABUL, March 7 (Xinhua)-- Hundreds of Afghans came to the street  
in Khost, the capital of Khost province in east Afghanistanon Saturday  
to protest against what they called arbitrary killing of civilians by  
international troops.

     The protesters who brought four bodies to the street said that  
the troops at mid night entered two houses outside the Khost city and  
killed four persons and took away five others.

     "The U.S. soldiers entered two houses in Shiga village outside  
the Khost city at 3 a.m. today and after killing four innocent people  
arrested five others," Talawat Khan, owner of the raided house told  
Xinhua.

     Meantime, an official with the press department of the  
international troops in east Afghanistan denied killing the civilians  
but confirmed the operation in a village saying the troops returned  
fire after coming under attacks.

     Harming civilians during operations against Taliban insurgents  
has strained the relations between Kabul and Washington and President  
Hamid Karzai has repeatedly called on the troops to coordinate  
operation with Afghan troops in order to avoid civilian casualties.