KABUL, Afghanistan, May 24 (UPI) -- The U.S. military has promised to make a full investigation into civilian deaths that resulted from an air raid on an Afghan village.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai, shocked at the deaths of 16 civilians, had called for the investigation into the air attack in Kandahar province.
In a statement released by his office Tuesday, Karzai also accused the Taliban rebels of an "act of cowardice" by using civilians as human shields.
Locals claim as many as 40 villagers died Monday when coalition forces hit Azizi village in Panjwayi district.
Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, a senior U.S. military official, says U.S. personnel are in the area conducting an investigation, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
The governor of Kandahar, Asadullah Khalid, claims that Taliban fighters were hiding in the houses of the villagers when the forces targeted the militants.
Reports say that up to 80 Taliban died in the air raid.
