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KABUL – NATO commanders will move to restrict air strikes on residentialareas in Afghanistan, following a number of civilian deaths inraids. The commitment came Sunday, days after a strike in Logar province,which Afghan officials say killed 18 civilians. "Given our commitment to protect Afghan civilians, restricting theuse of air-delivered munitions against insurgents within civiliandwellings is a prudent and logical step in the progression in thecampaign," Jamie Graybeal, a NATO spokesman in Afghanistan, said inan email cited by The New York Times. A day earlier Afghan President Hamid Karzai met General John Allen,commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)-- and following the meeting said the US officer had "promised ...not to carry out air strikes on public residential areas." In a statement, Karzai's office noted that the general had "onceagain officially apologized for civilian casualties" and that"after agreeing with the demands of the president" Allen had saidNATO forces "will completely stop such operations." Officials cited by the Times pointed out that Sunday's NATO move to"restrict" air strikes in residential areas did not go as far asKarzai had indicated, and warned that Western forces would continueto go after militants who hide in civilian homes -- implying theywill use air power as a last resort. One source told the newspaper that "air-delivered munitions willnot be employed while other means are available." Ground forces will still be deployed, to maintain operationsagainst Taliban fighters who frequently use residential propertiesto hide. Before his meeting with Karzai, Allen had flown to Logar province,south of Kabul, to apologize over the deaths of civilians in an airstrike on a home early Wednesday. ISAF said multiple insurgents were killed in the strike, which wasordered after troops came under fire during an operation against aTaliban insurgent leader, but Karzai expressed outrage and cutshort a visit to Beijing. It was the second time within a month that Allen had to admitcivilian deaths in NATO air strikes that have strained relationsbetween Karzai and the US, which leads international forces in thefight against Taliban insurgents, AFP reported. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as Fiber Optic Patch Cord Manufacturer , China SFP Transceiver Module for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Fiber Optic Patch Cord.
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