KABUL ( 2008-09-17 00:41:56 ) :The commander of Nato-led forces in Afghanistan said Tuesday he issued a revised directive on the use of lethal force following an air strike last month in which scores of civilians were reported killed.
General David McKiernan, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force, said he issued the directive September 2 that for the most part re-emphasised rules and procedures on the use of force.
"We have received and continue to review our procedures for the application of lethal force, and I've issued a just revised tactical directive that tries to be very measured in how we apply lethal force," he said.
"Probably 90 percent of it is a reemphasis of procedures we already have in place," he said.
McKiernan said the aim was to further reduce civilian casualties, but he emphasised that in counter-insurgency campaign in which insurgents hide among the population some civilian casualties were unavoidable.
Afghan and UN officials charged that 90 civilians, many of them women and children, were killed in an August 22 air strike on a compound in western Afghanistan after a firefight involving US and Afghan security forces.
A US military investigation found that only five to seven civilians were killed in the attack, along with 30 insurgents, but McKiernan asked for a review of the investigation after cellphone video footage came to light that called into question the US probe.
ISAF troops and a separate US-led coalition backed by Afghan forces are fighting an increasingly bloody insurgency from Taliban and suspected Al-Qaeda militants in the war-weary country.
McKiernan said he expected the review of the investigation, conducted by a general assigned by the US Central Command, to conclude in a couple of weeks.
"We have very, very measured procedures that we use when we drop any kind of ordnance from the air whether its bombers, whether its Ac-130 gunships.
"We have certain constraints on collateral damage that are reviewed before ordnance is delivered. We have positive identification of the target. We have procedures for control on the ground of the target," he said.
"But I'll tell you this is something we can't be accurate with all the time," he added. "There are times there are going to be unintended consequences on the civilian population."
McKiernan spoke to reporters before meeting with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who arrived here Tuesday from Iraq.
Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary, told reporters that Gates wanted a first hand look at the problems associated with close air support during his visit.
General David McKiernan, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force, said he issued the directive September 2 that for the most part re-emphasised rules and procedures on the use of force.
"We have received and continue to review our procedures for the application of lethal force, and I've issued a just revised tactical directive that tries to be very measured in how we apply lethal force," he said.
"Probably 90 percent of it is a reemphasis of procedures we already have in place," he said.
McKiernan said the aim was to further reduce civilian casualties, but he emphasised that in counter-insurgency campaign in which insurgents hide among the population some civilian casualties were unavoidable.
Afghan and UN officials charged that 90 civilians, many of them women and children, were killed in an August 22 air strike on a compound in western Afghanistan after a firefight involving US and Afghan security forces.
A US military investigation found that only five to seven civilians were killed in the attack, along with 30 insurgents, but McKiernan asked for a review of the investigation after cellphone video footage came to light that called into question the US probe.
ISAF troops and a separate US-led coalition backed by Afghan forces are fighting an increasingly bloody insurgency from Taliban and suspected Al-Qaeda militants in the war-weary country.
McKiernan said he expected the review of the investigation, conducted by a general assigned by the US Central Command, to conclude in a couple of weeks.
"We have very, very measured procedures that we use when we drop any kind of ordnance from the air whether its bombers, whether its Ac-130 gunships.
"We have certain constraints on collateral damage that are reviewed before ordnance is delivered. We have positive identification of the target. We have procedures for control on the ground of the target," he said.
"But I'll tell you this is something we can't be accurate with all the time," he added. "There are times there are going to be unintended consequences on the civilian population."
McKiernan spoke to reporters before meeting with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who arrived here Tuesday from Iraq.
Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary, told reporters that Gates wanted a first hand look at the problems associated with close air support during his visit.
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