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Afghanistan president creates delegation to investigate civilian deaths

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Afghan president Hamid Karzai on Tuesday appointed a delegation to begin an investigation of ten civilian deaths, including eight schoolchildren, that are thought to have occurred during a raid by international forces in Kunar province. The raid in the Narang district occurred on December 26th, and allegedly involved NATO forces, though their involvement has not been confirmed. The same day that Karzai announced the formation of the special delegation, a UN committee released figures that show that civilian deaths in Afghanistan in 2009 are up by 10% over deaths in 2008. Civilian deaths as a result of US or coalition forces raids are a sensitive topic in US-Afghan relations. In June, General Stanley McChrystal, the top US commander in Afghanistan, announced that protecting civilians is the top priority of US forces. In May, the Afghan parliament demanded that restrictions be placed on airstrikes following an attack that resulted in the death of 140 civilians.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on December 29, 2009 (boomark / email).