Afghanistan Air Strike Was ‘Lawful,’ Pentagon Says in Report

By Viola Gienger

June 19 (Bloomberg) -- An investigation into a U.S. air strike in Afghanistan last month that killed civilians was “lawful” under the circumstances, the Pentagon said in an unclassified report released today.

The report also said the strike failed to meet all the standards outlined in operational guidance. The report said that, while 26 civilians were killed in the operation, the precise number of civilian casualties may never be known. The strike also killed at least 78 Taliban fighters, the report said.

-0- Jun/19/2009 21:26 GMT

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