At least 27 civilians have been killed in a Nato airstrike in southern Afghanistan, according to a statement issued this morning by the Afghan government.
Strongly codemning the bombing - which could further inflame already heightened sensitivities over noncombatant casualties in the war - the Afghanistan Council of Ministers strongly condemned the airstrike, describing it as "unjustifiable."
The Cabinet says initial reports indicate the attack happened yesterday when Nato fired on a convoy of three vehicles killing at least 27 civilians, including four women and one child. The ministers say 12 others were injured while they were on their way to Kandahar.
An earlier figure of 33 was later revised. Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary said the airstrike hit three minibuses traveling on a major road near Uruzgan's border with central Day Kundi province. There were 42 people in the vehicles, all civilians, he said.
Bashary said local investigators had collected 21 bodies and two people were missing. He said he was checking with Cabinet officials to find out why there was a discrepancy in the toll.
Nato has confirmed that its planes fired on what it believed was a group of insurgents in southern Uruzgan province, but later discovered that women and children were hurt. The injured were transported to medical facilities.
The Afghan government and Nato have begun an investigation.
Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary said yesterday's airstrike hit three minibuses traveling on a major road near Uruzgan's border with central Day Kundi province. There were 42 people in the vehicles, all civilians, Mr Bashary said.
The Nato statement did not say how many people died or whether all the occupants of the vehicles were civilians.
"We are extremely saddened by the tragic loss of innocent lives," Nato commander General Stanley McChrystal said in the statement. "I have made it clear to our forces that we are here to protect the Afghan people and inadvertently killing or injuring civilians undermines their trust and confidence in our mission. We will redouble our effort to regain that trust."
Gen McChrystal apologised to President Hamid Karzai for the incident, Nato said.
On Saturday, President Karzai had admonished Nato troops for not doing enough to protect civilian lives. During a speech to the opening session of the Afghan parliament, Karzai had called for extra caution on the part of Nato, which is currently conducting a massive offensive on the southern Taliban stronghold of Marjah in neighboring Helmand province.
"We need to reach the point where there are no civilian casualties," Mr Karzai said. "Our effort and our criticism will continue until we reach that goal."
Nato claims it has gone to great lengths in recent months to reduce civilian casualties - primarily through reducing airstrikes and tightening rules of engagement - as part of a new strategy to focus on protecting the Afghan people to win their loyalty over from the Taliban.
This is the largest joint Nato-Afghan operation since the Taliban regime was ousted from power in 2001. It is also the first major ground operation since President Barack Obama ordered 30,000 reinforcements to Afghanistan.
But mistakes have continued. In the ongoing offensive against Marjah, two Nato rockets killed 12 people in one home and others have gotten caught in the crossfire. At least 16 civilians have been killed so far during the offensive, Nato has said, though human rights groups claim the number is at least 19.
Last Thursday, an airstrike in northern Kunduz province missed targeted insurgents and killed seven policemen.
General David Petraeus, who oversees the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, said on NBC's Meet The Press that Marjah was the opening salvo in a campaign to turn back the Taliban that could last 12 to 18 months.
But the continued toll of civilian lives will only make it harder for Nato in its goal to win over the support of local Afghans against Taliban militants in the south.
The newly appointed civilian chief for Marjah arrived today to begin the task of restoring government authority after years of Taliban rule even though Nato troops are still battling insurgents in the area.
AP