U.S. report faults Air Force drone crew, ground commanders in Afghan civilian deaths

Reporting from Kandahar, Afghanistan A U.S. military investigation has harshly criticized a Nevada-based Air Force drone crew and American ground commanders in Afghanistan for misidentifying civilians as insurgents during a U.S. Army Special Forces operation in Oruzgan province in February, resulting in the deaths of as many as 23 civilians.Six U.S. officers will be punished and a sweeping review of counterinsurgency training will be undertaken, U.S. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, said Saturday.The investigation into the Oruzgan incident had been ordered by McChrystal, who on Saturday called civilian deaths "heartbreaking."

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Posted in: Afghanistan,Fighting Al Qaeda and Taliban,UAV,USA