90 Afghan civilians killed in U.S. bombing

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A U.N. investigation team said Tuesday that 90 civilians, including 60 children, were mistakenly killed by a U.S. bombing raid in Afghanistan's Herat province.

U.N. Special Representative Kai Eide said a probe by the U.N.'s Assistance Mission in Afghanistan found "convincing evidence" that an aerial bombardment last Thursday of the village of Nawabad in Herat province's Shindand district resulted in the destruction of about eight houses and widespread damage to many other homes. In addition to the 60 children killed, Eide said 15 women and 15 men died and 15 other villagers were injured.

"This is matter of grave concern to the United Nations," Eide said. "The impact of such operations undermines the trust and confidence of the Afghan people in efforts to build a just, peaceful and law-abiding state."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who is conducting his own investigation of the incident, has fired two senior army officials over the incident. The BBC reported Afghan officials said local forces called in U.S. warplanes while searching for militants in Nawabad and directed them to what they thought was a secret meeting of Taliban officials, including top leader Mullah Saddiq.