Reuters
02/06/2010
By
[Printer Friendly Version]

KANDAHAR - Seven Afghan boys were shot dead on Saturday by police who mistook them for insurgents, a provincial police official said.

The boys were collecting firewood when police opened fire on them in the border town of Spin Boldak, southern Kandahar province, Abdul Raziq, police commander for the town, said.

The police had been detained and were being questioned, he said.

Spin Boldak has been an entry point for Pakistani insurgents who infiltrate Afghanistan to stage attacks against the government and international forces.

Last year, 2,400 Afghan civilians were killed in Taliban attacks and Afghan and NATO-led operations, according to the United Nations.

The killing of civilians is a sensitive issue and President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly warned that civilian deaths sap support for his administration and for the presence of some 115,000 foreign troops in the country.

(Reporting by Ismail Sameem; Writing by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Nick Macfie)

The Secret Shelters That Protect Afghan Women ABC News (03/11/2010)

India, Pakistan and the Afghan army Reuters (03/11/2010)

Afghanistan's Fix TIME (03/11/2010)

Pakistan Gets Role in Afghan-Taliban Talks CBS News (03/11/2010)

In Afghanistan, a push to burnish police's poor reputation The Washington Post (03/11/2010)

'Arrest of Afghan Taliban leaders in Pak aimed at derailing Afghan reconciliation' ANI (03/11/2010)

Afghanistan: War with an end The Guardian, Editorial (03/11/2010)

Iran's 'double game' in Afghanistan The Guardian (03/11/2010)

We don't want proxy wars in Afghanistan, Karzai says Reuters (03/11/2010)

All Roads Lead to Kabul Asia Times (03/11/2010)

Gardening to sow seeds for a rosier Afghanistan AFP (03/11/2010)

Death and Cover-Up at Guantánamo The Nation, New York (03/11/2010)

Six, including children, South African die in Afghan violence Reuters (03/11/2010)

A new chance for women The Washington Times (03/11/2010)

Afghan Taliban Leaders Flee Possible Arrest The Wall Street Journal (03/10/2010)

Friend Of My Enemy RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty (03/10/2010)

Drug profits moving 'through Indian bank system' AKI (03/10/2010)

Driven into the arms of the Taliban IRIN (03/10/2010)

A new group of fundamentalists tries to force its morality on cultural life in Afghanistan The Global Post (03/11/2010)

Top rights group slams new Afghan amnesty law Reuters (03/10/2010)

Why former Arab mujahideen and Saudi lawyers hold the key to peace in Afghanistan The Guardian (03/10/2010)

Ahmadinejad mocks Pentagon chief on visit to Kabul AFP (03/10/2010)

March 10, 1993 - 60 people killed in Kabul attack The Independent (03/10/2010)

Afghanistan: Repeal Amnesty Law Human Rights Watch (HRW) (03/10/2010)

Faction feud forces Afghanistan militants to defect to government side The Associated Press (03/10/2010)

Ahmadinejad: U.S. Playing Afghan "Double Game" CBS (03/10/2010)

Afghanistan gets vows of friendship from U.S. and Iran CNN (03/10/2010)

Karzai offers families ‘blood money’ for sons killed in raid The Times (03/09/2010)

Britain to Hamid Karzai: you must talk to Taliban now The Guardian (03/09/2010)

'Alone' in Afghanistan - Caught in Afghan numbers game The Washington Post (03/09/2010)