UK defends strike on Afghan town

During Vietnam, it was famously said that the U.S. once “destroyed a village in order to save it.” In the town of Nawzad, in Helmand province, the situation is much the same, with the British dropping two massive 500lb bombs as the Taleban closed in.

Britain is hopelessly undermanned and out of place in Helmand, where they are supposed to be reducing opium crops and defeating the Taleban, but are failing at both.

British forces in Afghanistan have defended their decision to call in US planes to drop 500lb bombs on Taleban fighters in a town in Helmand province.

Witnesses say there were many civilian deaths and injuries but UK forces said there was no evidence of any.

Civilians in Nawzad told the BBC that aircraft dropped at least three bombs, destroying shops and a school.

British forces have been protecting the district government headquarters in Nawzad for a month.

UK commanders said they had been under constant attack for the past two weeks and the Taleban fighters were close to overrunning the base when the US air strike was called in.

British troops said the school was being used by the Taleban to launch mortars.

There are reports of anything from 25 to 200 people being killed but it is almost impossible to verify as the fighting is continuing.

The commander of the Helmand taskforce, Col Charlie Knaggs, said there was no evidence of civilian casualties and the force used was necessary to protect his troops.

Posted by Szamko
Just tries to tell the truth.

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