Afghans bury dead after US airstrike: 19 killed

Angry villagers dug graves Tuesday to bury dozens of suspected militants and civilians killed in one of the deadliest U.S. airstrikes since the American-led invasion in 2001, local residents said, while 19 people were killed in new violence.

Photo: Afghans bury dead after US airstrike: 19 killed

Taliban fighters ambushed a police patrol in southern Afghanistan's mountains Tuesday, killing three police but leaving 12 militants dead, while in violence near the capital, three health workers and their driver were killed by a land mine, officials said.

According to coalition and Afghan figures, the latest violence brings the death toll in a storm of violence that erupted a week ago to 305, mostly militants. It's the deadliest spate of fighting in four years and comes ahead of preparations for the U.S.-led coalition to hand over security operations in southern Afghanistan to NATO by July.

The coalition said 20 Taliban were confirmed killed in the airstrike on the village of Azizi in Kandahar province late Sunday or early Monday, while up to 60 more may also have died.

Local officials said that additionally, 17 civilians had been killed, but one villager, Haji Ikhlaf, told The Associated Press that 26 civilians had been buried by early Tuesday.

"We've buried women. We've buried children," Ikhlaf, 40, said by cell phone from the area, which has been closed off to reporters by local security forces. "They are killing us. We are so angry."

Villagers also dug graves of slain Taliban rebels, he said.

U.S. commander Lt. Gen. Karl W. Eikenberry told The Associated Press on Monday that the military was "looking into" reports of civilian deaths. Other coalition officials said they were confident they had hit a Taliban compound.

Tuesday's ambush against police occurred in Helmand, a province neighboring Kandahar and heartland of the country's multibillion dollar (euro) heroin trade.

Ghulam Muhiddin, the provincial administrator, said dozens of Taliban fled after the attack, leaving the bodies of 12 fighters behind. Police reinforcements were rushed to the area and also found several assault rifles, machine guns and rocket launchers, reports the AP.

I.L.