Hamid Karzai said Saturday that the US commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan had “promised” air strikes on residential areas would stop after Nato apologised for recent civilian deaths. 

The US military commander in Afghanistan on Saturday promised foreign troops would no longer conduct air raids on civilian houses.

Three days after a deadly airstrike in central Logar province, John Allen held out assurance at a meeting with Hamid Karzai.

At least 18 civilians were killed in the bombardment on Wednesday..

It is also said that the US had not consulted Afghan forces on calling the raid. The Afghan forces were not taken into confidence on the operation.

“Local security personnel had fully ringed the house that was bombed by US troops,” according to the presidential spokesman, who insisted the people inside had no escape route.

A statement from Karzai’s office said Allen and Crocker were told about several raids that killed innocent residents, including women and children, after the signing of the strategic cooperation pact between the Obama and Hamid Karzai..

Gen. Allen apologised to Karzai for the civilian casualties in Logar, pledging the foreign troops would not hit civilian houses and populated areas.

It was the second time within a month that Allen had to admit civilian deaths in NATO air strikes.

Source: Pajhwok