INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
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Up to 10 children were killed and three others injured
A US airstrike in
Afghanistan on Tuesday killed as many as 23 civilians, with most victims women and children, the UN says.The strike on a compound in Helmand
province was called in during a joint operation between Afghan and US forces.Investigators said up to 10 children and eight women may have
US forces say they are investigating.Civilian casualties from aerial attacks have surged since the US announced a new Afghan strategy last
year.President Trump committed more troops to America's longest war and significantly boosted the number of strikes targeting Taliban and
Islamic State group positions in August 2017
The rules of engagement were also loosened, allowing more bombings.The US-led Nato mission in Afghanistan said that Tuesday's helicopter
strike took place amid a firefight between US-advised Afghan special forces and Taliban fighters in Garmser district.It has been reported
that many of the dead civilians were from the same family, but the UN has not confirmed this
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan recorded 649 civilians casualties (dead and injured) as a result of aerial attacks in the first
nine months of this year, the highest number in any any year since systematic recording began in 2009.In April, an attack by the Afghan Air
Force - which is trained and equipped by the US - killed 30 children in north-eastern Kunduz province at a graduation ceremony
The US Air Force released nearly 6,000 weapons in the first 10 months of this year, compared to 4,361 in all of 2017 and 1,337 in all of
2016.Most civilian casualties in Afghanistan are however still caused by anti-government groups like the Taliban and the Islamic State group
(IS).The Taliban are gaining ground across Afghanistan, as US officials pursue a peace deal that would bring an end to the 17-year war
The militants attended a landmark international meeting earlier this month in Moscow and a delegation from the group has also recently held
meetings with US envoys in Qatar.
