U.S. airstrike kills 10 Afghan civilians, 8 schoolboys, amidst controversy

Reports have surfaced that a U.S. airstrike killed 10 Afghan civilians, eight of them schoolboys, on Sunday in a remote area of Kunar province in northeast Afghanistan. Yet NATO officials are refuting the charges and butting heads with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the governor of the province about the details.

These are the most serious accidental killings of Afghan civilians by Western forces in six months. The airstrike violated strict rules of engagement laid out by General Stanley McChrystal months ago after a spike in noncombatant deaths - a directive that calls for limiting the use of force when any civilians are thought to be in the area.

In Afghanistan's tight-knit tribal society, killing one innocent civilian could do more damage to the American cause than killing 50 enemy militants, because such casualties inflame anger against foreign troops and undermines NATO’s mission and hinders bringing new recruits to the insurgency. One of the minimum requirements to success in Afghanistan is winning the hearts and minds of a majority of the population, and civilian deaths typically translate into gains of support and manpower for the Taliban.

United Nations figures show far more civilians are killed by the Taliban, however, deaths caused by foreigners have triggered wide resentment and undermine international forces' attempts to build trust among the peaceful population.

Karzai “strongly condemned the attack”, and sent a delegation of parliament to investigate the case. However, a NATO official claims: “These were people who had a well-established network, they were I.E.D. smugglers and also were responsible for direct attacks on Afghan security and coalition forces in those area.”

The provincial police chief, Gen. Khalilullah Zaiyi, also had a conflicting account, telling The Associated Press earlier Monday that the targets were 10 Taliban militants, and not civilians.

Most accounts today report that the deaths were civilians. A look at Afghanistan Headlines around the world about the incident:

CNN International: Afghan official: 10 civilians killed in coalition operation

Wall Street Journal: Afghan Civilians Die in Western Attack, Karzai Says

New York Times: Ten Afghan Civilians Reported Killed In Airstrike

Sky News: 'Children Killed By Coalition' In Afghanistan

The Canadian Press: Afghan president says 10 civilians killed by International forces

BBC: At least 10 Afghan civilians, including eight schoolchildren, have been killed

Bloomberg: Karzai Says Western Forces Kill 10 Afghan Civilians

Aljazeera: Children killed in Afghan offensive

TruthDig: Karzai: Afghan Schoolchildren Killed in Western Operation

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