30 May 2011

Final warning to US and NATO issued by Karzai

7:31 am on 30 May 2011

President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan has issued what he says is a final warning to the United States and NATO to avoid operations that kill civilians.

Officials are investigating reports that 14 women and children were killed in a NATO air strike on Saturday.

Mr Karzai said his government had repeatedly asked the US to stop these raids.

He said arbitrary and unnecessary operations are causing the deaths of innocent Afghans and violate human and moral values.

The incident happened in Helmand province, after a US Marines base came under attack by Taliban fighters.