Afghan Officials Say NATO Forces Killed 64 Civilians

A US Marines 2nd Batallion, 1st Marines Regiment sits atop a Mine-resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (MATV) prior to a patrol in Gamser, Helman province Southern Afghanistan on February 20, 2011. (Adek Berry/AFP/Getty Images)

NATO operations in eastern Afghanistan killed 64 civilians in four days, said a provincial governor on Sunday, according to a Reuters’ report. 

Afghan Gov. Fazlullah Wahidi claims that the civilians were killed by ground and air strikes.

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), operating under NATO’s command, said a team has been sent to look into the allegations.

“ISAF is aware of the Kunar provincial governor’s comments that coalition forces killed more than 50 civilians during operations in the province over the past several days,” said the ISAF in an issued statement.

According to the statement, 36 militants carrying weapons were killed in the operation in a remote valley in Kunar Province.

Over the past years, civilian deaths have been a major point of friction between NATO forces and the Afghan government