Council of Europe reacts

PARIS, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- Walter Schwimmer, secretary-general of the 43-member Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, issued a statement Monday supporting the broad alliance behind the strikes in Afghanistan.

"The targeted aim of dismantling the terrorist networks and apprehending the instigators and organizers of the Sept. 11 attacks and bringing them to justice is a legitimate objective, which has to be carried out in a proportionate way", Schwimmer said.

"Everything possible must be done to spare the civilian population during the military operations," Schwimmer added. "We have a duty to protect the Afghan people, who have already suffered too much."