Afghan civilian casualties from US air raid

kabul - Air strikes by the United States on Taliban fighters in the Afghan province of Helmand have caused many civilian casualties. So say the Afghan authorities Friday. The air strikes were in the night from Thursday to Friday.

According to a tribal elder in the town of Sangin arrived in the bombing certainly 19 people dead. Another 20 people were injured. The council even spoke of 23 dead. It was the authorities were not known if Taliban fighters among the victims. The Taliban itself also made mention of casualties. According to them, 22 were women and three men dead.

US General Charles Cleveland said that he is aware. ' We take the situation very seriously and we will investigate the issues with our Afghan partners. '

The number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan by American bombing has risen sharply in 2016. Last year was the highest number of civilian casualties since 2009.