AlJazeera - UN confirms hospital casualties - 93 more casualties

In the interest of free speech, we will translate AlJazeera news
AlJazeera correspondent in Kandahar reports that 93 civilians were killed and 40 injured in U.S. strikes in the east of Kandahar.
Meanwhile, the UN has confirmed civilian casualties in Kabul and in the hospital in Herat.

• American missiles and bombs strike civilians in Jakar who were fleeing the strikes Kandahar and looking for water.
• Eyewitnesses allege that some victims were hit by bullets from American ground forces in the area during the bombing.
• UK announce that the strikes against Afghanistan destroy nine Al-Qaid camps, and severly damage nine airports and 24 military bases.
• Presence of cars in village may have led to strikes.

AlJazeera correspondent in Knadahar writes – tens of civilians were killed and injured in US strikes aimed at eastern Kandahar. Meanwhile, the UN officially acknowledged that US strikes are targeting civilians in Kabul and that a field hospital in Herat in Western Afghanistan was struck in US bombardment.

American missiles and bombs struck Jakar village, about 60 kilometres east of Kandahar killing 93 civilians, 18 of them from the same family. Eyewitness accounts say that some of the injuries are bullets fired by American ground forces that may have been in the area.

The village of Jakar has seen frequent trips by residents from neighbouring areas coming to get water from the fresh water stream in the village. One eyewitness said he noticed approximately five cars in front of one of the houses in the village which may have led Americans to believe that these were Taliban leaders.

The witness said that the residents of the house were affluent residents of Kandahar who had come here looking for safety from the intense bombardment of Kandahar. Some injured people stayed away from the village hospital due to fear that it may be targeted for bombing.

In this context, the UN, in an official statement, said that the American bombing operations target residential quarters in Kabul because the Taliban send their forces to these areas. The spokesperson for the UN, Stephanie Banker, said in an Islambad news conference that a great number of bombs hit residential areas in Khair Khana which is near to heath and food supply centres. She added, that the residential quarter of Maqroorian has also been hit. She added that Kabul suburbs are also prone to attacks because of this and she acknowledged the destruction of the hospital in Herat and the muder of civilians.

Today’s raids

Today’s raids resulted in the death of 45 civilians in strikes in Kabul, Herat and Kandagar in the early hours of the morning. Witnesses say that missiles hit Taliban positions in the small city of Charikar controlled by the Northern Alliance, resulting in the death of two civilians and injuring ten others.

The Afghan Islamic Press reported that US planes hit a number of tankers taking oil from Herat, near the border with Iran, to Kandahar. Five people were burnt to death from the flames from the hit tankers.

A spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Information, Abdul Hannan, said that American attacks on Herat hit a mosque containing many worshippers, and several civilian houses in the area. It resulted in the death of 15 civilians and injuring 25 others. Another 25 people were killed in Darul Aman, south of Kabul. This report has not been confirmed from independent sources.

Meanwhile, the Taliban Ambassador to Pakistan, Abdus Salam Zaeef, said that Osama bin Laden and the leader of the Taliban are alive in Afghanistan, even after 3 weeks of American bombardment. He added that they had completed the traces of chemicals found on the bodies of Afghans hit by the American attacks.