Afghan boy shot "accidentally" by U.S. forces

[Kushan Prince]

Afghan boy shot accidentally by U.S. forces - World - CBC News

U.S. forces in Afghanistan have accidentally shot dead a four year old boy, Afghan officials said on Friday, the latest violence to strain ties between the uneasy allies.

The Afghan-U.S. relationship has been damaged by President Hamid Karzai's refusal to sign a bilateral security deal that would pave the way for a U.S. military presence after the withdrawal of most foreign troops this year.

The United States has said its troops cannot remain without a deal. Their complete departure of U.S. troops would leave Afghan security forces on their own to battle the Taliban.

Karzai is demanding that the United States end all unilateral military operations on Afghan territory — among other things — before the pact is signed, because they cause avoidable civilian deaths.

"We have called … for an absolute end to ISAF/NATO military operations on homes and villages in order to avoid such killings where innocent children or civilians are the victims," the president's spokesman, Aimal Faizi, said when commenting on the death of the boy.

The International Security Assistance force (ISAF) is Afghanistan's NATO-led force. It is dominated by U.S. troops.

Weather dusty

A spokesman for the governor of the southern province of Helmand told Reuters that U.S. Marines based in the violence-plagued province mistakenly shot the boy on Wednesday because visibility was poor.

"As the weather was dusty, the Marine forces based there thought he was an enemy and opened fire. As result of mistaken fire, he was killed," the spokesman, Omar Zwak, said by telephone.

A spokesman for the NATO-led force said the matter would be investigated and all possible measures were taken to avoid civilian casualties.

Separately, two U.S. service members and a civilian were killed in an aircraft crash in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, the NATO-led force said.

"At this time, there are no indications of enemy involvement in the cause of the aircraft mishap," the force said.

[Kushan Prince]

We all know why this poor boy was shot, its a retaliation by the U.S. because karzai isn't signing their stupid BSA and they killed this poor kid because of that.

[Khilji]

badal for this innocent child inshallah.
very sad.

[Loy Afghanistan]

These son of whoorres and ******* mix raced sheeps WILL HAVE THEIR JUSTICE in this life or another, or much better their grand children should feel the extinction wrath of innocent Pashtuns killed by their forefathers. Like many many, poor uneducated peasant Pastuns who is brainwashed by foreign influence may it be arab, Irani, pakistani. They will have their punishment by Allah, and their offspring will have their punishment by future Pashtun generations. We should exciting all their family line or ethnicity.

The harder the punishment the better justice for our brother and sisters killed.

[Kushan Prince]

What bothers me the most is that the poor mother of this child will be mourning and her life is ruined now. America is a coward nation that justifies the killing of innocent children to prove their point and how this is a warning if karzai doesn't abide.

I hope hell comes to that nation.

[loy kolay]

This was a horrible accident, and was regrettable in every sense of the word. But it was not avoidable, the marine made a judgement call in fear of his life and his guys. The news report is not accurate, I know because I know this unit, 1st battalion 9th marines in camp leatherneck, Washer District, Helmand Province. If you don't believe me I will put you in touch with the Afghan Linguist who knows about it. It was on a security patrol, and the taliban had been shooting at the trucks for a good while. The marine was in the turret, and saw a stick come out of a hole in a house near to him that appeared to be the barrel of a gun, at that range he would have been killed if it were a gun. So he made a split second judgement call and only had about 2 seconds to consider the threat, decide if it was deadly, see if he could shoot it. Most people get more time deciding what kind of coffee they want in the morning. On top of this the unit suffered a marine killed 2 weeks beforehand also from taliban fire. Is that marines mother a *****? what did he die for? he had just arranged a shura in another village and was doing good things and yet he still was killed by the taliban. In no universe/religion/world/country, a killing of an innocent 4 year old child a good or endorsed thing and the unit feels horrible about it. They went out after and repaid the family 5,000 dollars compensation, more than their yearly income. As if to say a life is only worth 5,000 dollars is ludicrous but what can they do in this horrible situation? The current orders from the marines higher command is strictly mandating no civilian casualties, and this is in accordance with President Karzi and President Obama. It was a horrible accident and should have never happened.

[Loy Afghanistan]

What bothers me the most is that the poor mother of this child will be mourning and her life is ruined now. America is a coward nation that justifies the killing of innocent children to prove their point and how this is a warning if karzai doesn't abide.

I hope hell comes to that nation.

True wroora.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold"

Pashtun revenge never dies.

[randolph85]

This was a horrible accident, and was regrettable in every sense of the word. But it was not avoidable, the marine made a judgement call in fear of his life and his guys. The news report is not accurate, I know because I know this unit, 1st battalion 9th marines in camp leatherneck, Washer District, Helmand Province. If you don't believe me I will put you in touch with the Afghan Linguist who knows about it. It was on a security patrol, and the taliban had been shooting at the trucks for a good while. The marine was in the turret, and saw a stick come out of a hole in a house near to him that appeared to be the barrel of a gun, at that range he would have been killed if it were a gun. So he made a split second judgement call and only had about 2 seconds to consider the threat, decide if it was deadly, see if he could shoot it. Most people get more time deciding what kind of coffee they want in the morning. On top of this the unit suffered a marine killed 2 weeks beforehand also from taliban fire. Is that marines mother a *****? what did he die for? he had just arranged a shura in another village and was doing good things and yet he still was killed by the taliban. In no universe/religion/world/country, a killing of an innocent 4 year old child a good or endorsed thing and the unit feels horrible about it. They went out after and repaid the family 5,000 dollars compensation, more than their yearly income. As if to say a life is only worth 5,000 dollars is ludicrous but what can they do in this horrible situation? The current orders from the marines higher command is strictly mandating no civilian casualties, and this is in accordance with President Karzi and President Obama. It was a horrible accident and should have never happened.

of course it was avoidable, the US could of avoided invading and occupying the country for over a decade.

boo hoo a soldier from a military occupying a country they have no business being in died. imagine that, unruly natives fighting their foreign saviors, the humanity! so yeah, **** that guy.