Africa | America | Asia | Australasia | Europe | India | Middle East | UK | US

Three Afghan civilians die in shooting at German checkpoint - Summary

Posted : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:16:32 GMT
By : DPA
Category : Asia (World)
News Alerts by Email ( click here )
Asia World News | Home
Kabul - An Afghan woman and two children were killed and four more children were injured as German soldiers opened fire on a civilian vehicle in the northern province of Kunduz, Afghan police said Friday. Abdul Rahman Aqtash, security chief of the provincial police department, said the incident took place Thursday evening in Kharooti village, just outside Kunduz city.

"When the vehicle did not stop after several signals, the German forces opened fire at the car," Aqtash said.

"When the forces later checked the vehicle, they found two children and a woman dead and four other children wounded in the vehicle," he said.

Aqtash said German army, Afghan National Army and Afghan police forces had set up the checkpoint in the area after receiving information that a vehicle smuggling drugs into neighbouring Takhar province would pass through.

"First, a vehicle approached the checkpoint but escaped when the forces tried to stop it," Aqtash said. "The forces opened fire at the second vehicle, which was driving behind the first one and did not heed repeated signals by the forces."

In Kabul, ISAF confirmed the deaths of three civilians but said that only two other civilians were wounded. An investigation was underway, it said.

"ISAF soldiers fired warning shots in a safe direction away from the vehicles but were eventually forced to fire at the first vehicle when it refused to stop, fearing an insurgent attack," it said.

"ISAF soldiers are trained to take the appropriate steps to minimize civilian casualties," it said, adding, "However, they must take action to protect themselves when threatened."

In Berlin, German Defence Ministry spokesman Thomas Raabe said that two civilian vehicles approaching the checkpoint had failed to heed clear signals from the troops manning the checkpoint and the security forces had then opened fire.

He said it was not clear whether it was the German troops or the Afghan security personnel who had opened fire.

On Wednesday, a German soldier was killed in a roadside bombing in the Chardara district of Kunduz province. Three others were injured when a remote-controlled bomb blew up their armoured vehicle.

More than 3,500 German soldiers are serving with ISAF, stationed mostly in northern provinces. ISAF has about 53,000 soldiers from about 40 countries in Afghanistan.

Copyright DPA

Share/Save/Bookmark

Article : Three Afghan civilians die in shooting at German checkpoint - Summary
Print this article
Email this article

Stay Updated
News gadget on your Google homepage
Subscribe to a news feed in Google Reader


Related News

21 killed in political violence in southern Philippines - Summary
Manila - Twenty-one people, including journalists and human rights lawyers, were killed Monday in the southern Philippines in what appeared to be political killings, the military said. At least 20 more were unaccoun...

Cambodia denies premier's daughter taking stake in air traffic firm
Phnom Penh - Cambodia rejected Monday a Thai media claim that the daughter of Prime Minister Hun Sen is to take a stake in a Thai firm at the centre of a spying row. A cabinet statement said the government's management of Cambodia Air Traffic Service...

Four US soldiers, three Afghan army troops killed in attacks
Kabul - Four US and three Afghan soldiers were killed a series of roadside bomb attacks and firefights with insurgents in Afghanistan, officials said Monday. Two NATO-led US soldiers were killed in a homemade bomb blast in the southern region, where ...

Death toll rises to 104 after China coal mine blast - Summary
Beijing - The death toll from a gas explosion at a coal mine in north-eastern China has risen to 104, with four workers still trapped underground, state media said on Monday. The explosion occurred early Saturday in the Xinxing mine in Hegang City, H...

21 killed in political violence in southern Philippines - Update
Manila - Twenty-one people, including journalists, were killed Monday in an outbreak of political violence in the southern Philippines, the military said. Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner, a military spokesman, said troops recovered the bodies in Amp...

21 killed in political violence in Philippines
Manila - Twenty-one people, including journalists, were killed Monday in an outbreak of political violence in the southern Philippines, the military said. Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner, a military spokesman, said troops recovered the bodies in Amp...

China jails quake activist on 'state secrets' charges
Beijing - China sentenced a legal activist to three years in prison on Monday after convicting him of illegal possession of state secrets, a charge apparently linked to his reports of protests by parents of children killed during last year's Sichua...

Have your Say
Name
Email
Subject
Your Comment

Enter Verification code
 
  

 

 

More Asia (World) News click here
Follow The Earth Times
Subscribe to RSS Follow Earth Times on TwitterNews by email
Share/Save/Bookmark

 
 



 
Subscribe to free Earthtimes
News Alerts by Email Click here
For RSS Feeds Click here
or Create your own RSS

Add to Google Toolbar
Breaking News
Press Releases

 


The Earth Times
News Category

© 2009 www.earthtimes.org, The Earth Times, All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy
Earth Times accept no responsibility or liability either directly or indirectly for views or opinions expressed in articles or comments.