Afghan president urges coalition to ‘stop these irresponsible night raids’
Afghan officials say Yaar Mohammad Khan, a cousin of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, was accidentally shot and killed during a NATO raid on Wednesday in Southern Afghanistan. “This was the result of an irresponsible and unnecessary night raid,” said Karzai’s spokesperson, adding the president’s “message is that they have to stop these irresponsible night raids that kill innocent Afghans.” While Karzai has been a vocal opponent of night raids, NATO says they are often successful—leading to the capture or death of Taliban leaders and keeping the terrorist group in check. But Khan’s death is especially sensitive. It comes on the heels of another NATO attack less than a week ago which accidentally killed nine boys collecting firewood. In response to Karzai’s unusually vocal criticism of NATO, Gen. David H. Petraeus, U.S. commander of U.S. and NATO troops issued an apology.