US aims to curb Afghan civilian casualties

The US general nominated to take charge of the war in Afghanistan pledged yesterday to try to minimise civilian casualties even as US-led forces step up operations against insurgents. Army lieutenant general Stanley McChrystal told US senators that the war could still be won, but not easily, and US casualties would likely rise. Civilian Afghan casualties are a major source of tension between US forces and Afghans and their leaders. The New York Times reported yesterday that a military investigation concluded that US forces had made “significant errors” in carrying out some of the…

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