KABUL, Afghanistan - The Afghan president said a deadly raid on a village by American and Afghan commandos has put new strain on relations with the United States and promised Thursday to punish those responsible.
U.S. officials have said that at least 30 militants, including a Taliban commander, and no more than seven civilians were killed during the Aug. 22 raid. Afghan officials, backed by the United Nations mission, insist that more than 90 civilians died, including dozens of children.
President Hamid Karzai’s comment come a day after he spoke to President Bush about the raid and how to prevent civilian casualties, his office said.
“President Bush told President Karzai that he grieves anytime innocents die,” White House national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Thursday.
Karzai said that following the raid “our relation with the foreigners got worst,” according to the statement from his office.
“In the last five years I have tried day and night to prevent these incidents from happening,” Karzai told the villagers assembled inside a mosque in Shindand, several miles away from Azizabad.
Afghan leader vows punishment for deadly US raid | War On You
Afghan leader vows punishment for deadly US raid
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