American troops blamed for death of 50 children in Afghanistan

Aug 24 2008 By Bruce Walker

US and Afghan troops have been accused of killing 50 children during an attack on the Taliban.

Afghanistan officials said they were among 76 civilians killed in the Coalition operation last week.

Soldiers were also blamed for wounding eight people in the target village after they threw stones at them as they handed out food yesterday.

The deaths happened during Thursday's Afghan National Army-led assault on Azizabad in Herat Province, against Taliban leader Mullah Siddiq.

But the exact toll remained unconfirmed last night as conflicting reports emerged.

The US said 30 militants and five civilians - two women and three children - perished.

More than 3500 people have died in Afghanistan this year.

Yesterday 10 Afghans were killed when a roadside bomb blew up a bus. On Friday, 17 Taliban died in Helmand.

Last week was among the worst for coalition forces, with 17 fatalities.

On Monday, Army medic Corporal Barry Dempsey, 29, of Ayrshire, died in a roadside bombing near Kabul.

Ten French paras were slain in an ambush on Tuesday.

Three Canadians were killed in the south and three Polish soldiers died in a blast in Ghanzi province on Friday