Combined Forces Command Afghanistan Statement

CENTCOM ^ | Jan. 20, 2004

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

	NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894

January 20, 2004
Release Number: 04-01-50


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Combined Forces Command Afghanistan Statement

KABUL, Afghanistan -- In Oruzgan province this weekend, coalition forces did engage five armed adult males who were fleeing from a known terrorist compound. Currently, we have no indications that civilians were killed in that incident. We reiterate our adherence to the rules of land warfare and to stringent rules of engagement.

Saturday evening coalition forces received intelligence that in a compound in Oruzgan province, in the Cahar Cineh Valley, there was a gathering of mid-level Taliban leadership.

Coalition Special Operations Forces and Afghan Militia Forces were sent to capture or kill the Taliban leaders at that compound. At approximately 8:00 p.m. on Saturday we observed 5 armed men leave the compound and move toward the coalition forces which have cordoned off the original compound. The commander on the ground verified that these individuals were indeed armed and, at night, moving toward a known coalition military unit.

At approximately 8:12 p.m. on Saturday an aircraft engaged those 5 individuals in a streambed.

Our forces moved toward the engagement site, but a large massing of armed personnel then came out of nearby compounds and gathered near the streambed. In order to avoid a larger engagement in the area of the compounds that might incur civilian casualties our forces halted and observed the activity from secure positions. Those people near the streambed recovered the bodies from the streambed.

The next day, coalition forces searched a number of compounds and the streambed without finding anything of significance.

In the process of 72 hours of operation in this area, we detained six individuals.

Typically, the Taliban are attempting to spread disinformation, propaganda, in order to discredit the coalition.

Let me lay out the facts,

--the only time of our firing was at 8:12 p.m. on Saturday, not 4 a.m. on Sunday.

--there were no helicopters in the area either at the time of the engagement on Saturday or at 4 a.m. on Sunday.

--at no time in the past 5 days did a US helicopter fire any ordnance of any kind in Oruzgan province.

--at no time during this operation were shots fired from any weapons system, ground or air, at any house compound or walled structure.

--our aircraft did not engage noncombatants. We clearly identified and engaged 5 armed adult males.

We have stringent rules of engagement and we continuously assess and refine those rules of engagement. In this case, as there are allegations of civilian casualties, we have reviewed the incident, but, as I stated above, there is no indication that any civilians were involved.

The coalition's long-term commitment to the people of Afghanistan is unwavering. While we continue to destroy terrorist organizations and their infrastructure, we enable and assist the accelerated growth of Afghan political, civil and military institutions.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

KABUL, Afghanistan -- In Oruzgan province this weekend, coalition forces did engage five armed adult males who were fleeing from a known terrorist compound. Currently, we have no indications that civilians were killed in that incident. We reiterate our adherence to the rules of land warfare and to stringent rules of engagement

Typically, the Taliban are attempting to spread disinformation, propaganda, in order to discredit the coalition.

Let me lay out the facts....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CENTCOM responds to yesterday's inaccurate AP story which accused the US military of killing civilians, based on the word of unreliable sources.
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If you want on or off the Pro-Coalition ping list, please Freepmail me, Calpernia or xzins. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days. (Most days are good days).

[Dog]

It was an AC-130 gunship.....there is footage I would bet of this engagement.

[BOBTHENAILER]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/redirect?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sftt.org%2FAC130_Gunship.wmv

[BOBTHENAILER]

Beautiful job delivering the facts.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I just pass 'em on. Thanks, BOB. (^:

[Yardstick]

Is this a response to yesterday's story that something like eleven afghanis were killed in their home in an american helicopter attack? My local radio news broke in to report this yesterday morning. They said they'd report the details when they came in, but they never did report anything further. I'm pleased to see it was bogus (if it was the same story).

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Yes. That's the one.

AP reporters often have trouble telling the good guys from the bad.

Moral relativism journalism school, a serious hindrance to getting to the truth ~ and saving civilization during wartime.

[RottiBiz]

Thanks for the facts, Ragtime Cowgirl!

I am so sick of hearing, every time there is any kind of engagement with the Taliban, about civilians being killed by our troops.

Remember the wedding party supposedly fired upon in the early days of the war?

I never believe those reports, but it is important to have the real story reported by our side, even though the false story rarely gets corrected.

[blackie]

CENTCOM responds to yesterday's inaccurate AP story which accused the US military of killing civilians, based on the word of unreliable sources ~ Bump!

[Calpernia]

http://www.dod.mil/news/Jan2004/n01202004_200401204.html

Coalition Denies Afghan Strike Caused Civilian Casualties
By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2004 – The coalition military command in Afghanistan today denied reports that a weekend air strike in the country's Oruzgan province killed children and other innocent civilians.

Combined Forces Command Afghanistan officials said that while "coalition forces did engage five armed adult males who were fleeing from a known terrorist compound," the command has "no indications that civilians were killed in that incident," according to a written statement issued as a news release from U.S. Central Command.

News agencies have reported a claim by Afghan officials that the strike killed four men, four children and three women, none of whom had any connection with the Taliban or other coalition enemies.

The command statement provided a detailed coalition account of the incident, and attributed reports of civilian casualties to a common Taliban tactic. "Typically, the Taliban are attempting to spread disinformation, propaganda, in order to discredit the coalition," the statement said.

Details of reports alleging civilian casualties don't match up with the facts, according to the coalition. Among those erroneous details are the time of the attack, that helicopters were present, and that the attack destroyed a house and targeted noncombatants.

The coalition's account said officials received intelligence the evening of Jan. 17 that mid-level Taliban members had gathered at a compound in the province's Cahar Cineh Valley. Special operations forces and Afghan militia were sent to capture or kill the Taliban leaders at that compound.

At about 8 p.m., the statement said, five armed men were seen leaving the compound and moving toward the coalition forces who had cordoned off the compound. The commander on the ground verified that the men were armed and moving toward coalition forces, and at about 8:12 p.m. a coalition aircraft engaged them in a streambed.

Other armed personnel then came out of nearby compounds and gathered near the streambed, the coalition statement continued. "In order to avoid a larger engagement in the area of the compounds that might incur civilian casualties, our forces halted and observed the activity from secure positions," the statement said.

The next day, coalition forces searched a number of compounds and the streambed without finding anything of significance. In the course of 72 hours of operations in the area, the statement said, six people were detained.

The statement said the allegations of civilian casualties prompted coalition officials to review the incident, but that the review yielded no indication that civilians were involved.

"The coalition's long-term commitment to the people of Afghanistan is unwavering," the statement said. "While we continue to destroy terrorist organizations and their infrastructure, we enable and assist the accelerated growth of Afghan political, civil and military institutions."

[blackie]

Ya can't post it too many times. :)

[Calpernia]

Thanks blackie!

[blackie]

You're welcome Calpernia!

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[radu]

I'm so grateful to y'all, and so many others at FR, for getting the facts out for others to see.
Thanks!

I believe this needs to be e-mailed en masse. :-)