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Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail Yahoo! Search Search: Sign InNew User? Sign Up News Home - Help Navigation Primary Navigation Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Secondary Navigation Australia China India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam Search Search: US forces mistakes 'likely' caused Afghan deaths: probe AFP - Saturday, June 20 WASHINGTON (AFP) - - A failure by US forces to follow procedures in air strikes last month in Afghanistan "likely" caused the death of at least 26 civilians, the US military said. ADVERTISEMENT An internal investigation of a May 4 battle with Taliban insurgents in western Afghanistan found US air crews and ground troops acted in line with the laws of armed conflict but three air strikes by a B-1 bomber failed to adhere to US combat rules and orders. "Not applying all of that guidance likely resulted in civilian casualties," said a summary of the military probe released Friday. The report recommended tactics and combat rules in the Afghan war be revised to avoid civilian casualties but did not call for prosecution of any US military personnel. The investigation found that 78 Taliban fighters were killed and 26 civilians died in the incident, but said it was possible that a higher number of civilians were killed. The Kabul government has put the civilian toll at 140. The incident has fueled public anger at the NATO-led coalition and prompted President Hamid Karzai to demand a halt in air strikes. US and NATO officials have grown increasingly concerned about the effect of civilian casualities on the war effort, as insurgents have sought to exploit the incidents to sow distrust of foreign troops. The report, issued by US Central Command, described an intense battle over several hours with Afghan security forces calling for assistance from a team of US Marines near the village of Gerani in the Farah province. The Marines had tried to persuade Afghan authorities to hold off on moving against about 300 Taliban that had threatened local villagers, suggesting more time was needed to fully plan an operation, it said. But the Afghan security forces went ahead and soon had to call the Marines for assistance. Scrambling to rescue Afghan forces pinned down by insurgent gunfire and secure the evacuation of wounded soldiers, the Marines called in air power. A first wave of strikes by F/A-18 fighter jets hit intended targets apparently without causing civilian casualties, according to the report. After nightfall, a B-1 Lancer bomber was called in to relieve the F/A-18s and carried out three strikes using 500-pound and 2,000-pound bombs. In two of the three raids, the bombing likely caused civilian deaths, the report said. In both cases, air crews and the ground commander believed they were targeting insurgent forces in buildings based on intelligence reports, even though the groups of adults they targeted in the darkness had not fired on them. Neither the ground force commander or the bomber crew "could confirm the presence or absence of civilians already in the building," the report said. In the third strike, the crew of the bomber and ground commander spotted a group of adults that they suspected were Taliban forces "moving rapidly in the dark across difficult terrain in an evenly-spaced formation." The ground commander ordered the B-1 bomber to hit a building where he believed the insurgents had moved. The aircraft then dropped a 2,000-pound bomb on the target. "The inability to discern the presence of civilians and assess the potential collateral damage of those strikes is inconsistent with the US government's objective of providing security and safety for the Afghan people," the report said. For days, the release of the unusually detailed report had been repeatedly delayed as officials debated how much information should be revealed. Details of the report gradually leaked out in recent weeks. US officials had initially promised to release aircraft video of the incident as well but no video was issued on Friday. The incident and varying US accounts of what transpired has illustrated the difficulties faced by the NATO-led force as it tries to fight insurgents, protect its troops and win over the Afghan population. In a series of recommendations, the investigation said it was vital for the US and coalition mission in Afghanistan to adopt tactics that put a priority on avoiding civilian casualties. The probe called for combat rules and tactics -- including the use of air power and the scale of lethal force -- to be refined and troops to be trained under the new guidance. It urged more timely public relations efforts in cooperation with Kabul ministries to better communicate with the Afghan people and to ensure the coalition is "first with the truth." It also said the military needed to forge better links with non-governmental organizations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, so that NGO leaders could reach military commanders in the NATO-led force "on very short notice." Email Story IM Story Printable View Blog This Sign in to recommend this article » 0 users recommend Related Articles: Asia Pacific Sri Lanka arrests 2 local UN staffersAP - Sunday, June 21 Fighter jets hit militants in Pakistan's WaziristanReuters - Sunday, June 21 US, regional powers may meet on NKorea next monthAP - Sunday, June 21 Australian man with swine flu diesAP - Sunday, June 21 Report: 200 hurt protesting man's death in ChinaAP - Sunday, June 21 Enlarge Photo US forces mistakes 'likely' caused Afghan deaths: probe Most Popular – Asia Pacific Viewed Schwarzenegger in mid-air jet drama Chubby people live longest: Japan study Clones of 9/11 hero dog unveiled in Los Angeles F1 governing body 'not surprised' at sport's split Botox helps Australian stroke victim to walk again View Complete List » Search: Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). 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