President Karzai Orders Investigation
into the Kandahar Incident
Office of the Spokesman to the President
05/23/2006
Arg, Kabul - H.E. Hamid Karzai, President
of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, who is currently in
the United Arab Emirates on a state visit, was notified of the
incident in the Panjwayi district of Kandahar province which
resulted in the unfortunate death of 16 innocent civilians.
According to reports, the incident occurred when
the Taliban were on the run from the Coalition Forces and going
into people’s homes to take shelter and use them as a
shield. Subsequently, the Coalition Forces bombed these houses
which resulted in civilians deaths.
While expressing concern at the Coalition Forces’
decision to bomb civilian areas, the President strongly condemned
the terrorists’ act of cowardice to hide behind civilians
and use them as human shields.
On several occasions in the past, the President
had called on the Coalition Forces to be highly cautious to
avoid civilian casualties during their military operations and
not to be swayed by terrorists’ tactics who use people’s
homes as a shelter.
Upon hearing the news of the incident the President
ordered an investigation into the incident and asked to summon,
upon his return to Kabul from the UAE visit, the Commander of
the Coalition Forces in Afghanistan for a full explanation about
the incident.
The President called on the noble people of Afghanistan
to resist the terrorists and not to allow them to use their
homes as a shelter and for other purposes.
The President expressed his heartfelt sympathies
and condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for
the full and speedy recovery of the injured.
The President instructed the Governor of Kandahar
province to provide assistance the families of the victims.
Once again, the President reaffirmed the commitment
of the people of Afghanistan to fight terrorism and said the
people of Afghanistan will stand with the International Community
in their effort to root out terrorism in the world.
