Karzai Asks NATO to Explain Civilian Deaths

Afghan policemen inspect around the site of an explosion in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Saturday, April...

Afghan policemen inspect around the site of an explosion in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Saturday, April 18, 2009. A roadside bomb targeting a police vehicle in Kandahar city killed a woman and wounded five other people including three civilians, said Abdullah Khan, the provincial deputy police chief.(AP Photo/Allauddin Khan)

(AP)

The top U.S. general in Afghanistan said Sunday there wasn't enough money in the world to replace the loss of an Afghan civilian, in comments that followed repeated calls by President Hamid Karzai for explanations of civilian deaths.

Gen. David McKiernan said international forces do make mistakes — "and for that I apologize" — but that U.S. and NATO forces are working hard to minimize civilian deaths during operations.

Karzai on Saturday asked McKiernan to explain allegations of six civilian deaths in two incidents. It was the second time in three days Karzai brought up the topic with McKiernan. On Thursday, the U.S. general was summoned to the presidential palace to explain other allegations of civilian deaths.

McKiernan, during a news conference Sunday alongside the Afghan defense minister, was asked repeatedly about civilian casualties by Afghan media, underscoring how deeply the topic reverberates here. McKiernan noted that international forces investigate all allegations of civilian deaths and pay compensation for wrongful deaths.

"Apologies are not sufficient, so we do try to compensate families and communities where we've made mistakes. But that's not sufficient either. In fact, there is nothing I could do or say that would replace the loss of a loved one," the four-star general said. "There's not enough money in the world to replace the loss of a family member."

Karzai has long complained about civilian deaths caused by international forces. Last year, McKiernan implemented new rules intended to cut down on the deaths of innocent Afghans, but they still occur, especially in nighttime raids.

Karzai's office said three civilians were killed by international forces in Helmand province on Friday. The NATO-led force said three people were killed when its forces fired on a vehicle from which a man who was "posing a threat" was exiting. Two people inside the vehicle were also killed, it said.

Karzai's office also said three civilians, including a woman, were killed in Logar province on Saturday. The NATO-led force, though, said three militants were killed — including a "prominent" insurgent named Abdullah and a woman. NATO said its forces were attacked with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, and that a search found explosives and military equipment.