Afghans protest amid claims 76 killed in military strikes

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

HERAT, Afghanistan (AFP) — Afghan villagers staged an angry protest Saturday amid claims that 76 civilians were killed in coalition air strikes against Taliban rebels, as the US military launched an investigation.

President Hamid Karzai condemned civilian casualties from Friday's clashes in the western province of Herat but there were conflicting claims about the death toll, with the US-led coalition saying only 30 rebels were killed.

If the toll of 76 is confirmed, it would be one of the highest for civilians in the battle against the extremist Taliban, who were ousted from power in Afghanistan during a US-led invasion in late 2001.

It was difficult to independently verify what happened near the village of Azizabad, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) south of...