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Fully armed, US soldier leaves base at 3:00 am and enters succesively three homes killing/shooting all persons he found sleeping. Number of persons killed and wounded is not yet known. A report from Pakistan:
US serviceman detained in Afghanistan over civilian casualties
KANDAHAR (Dawn/Reuters) – A US soldier has been detained in Afghanistan in connection with an incident involving civilian casualties in the southern Kandahar province, the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said on Sunday.
“US Forces-Afghanistan, in cooperation with Afghan authorities, will investigate this incident. This is a deeply regrettable incident and we extend our thoughts and concerns to the families involved,” in a statement by an ISAF spokesperson who did not elaborate.
“In my role as in-theatre commander of ISAF in Gen. Allen’s temporary absence on duty, I wish to convey my profound regrets and dismay at the actions apparently taken by one coalition member in Kandahar province. One of our soldiers is reported to have killed and injured a number of civilians in villages adjacent to his base. I cannot explain the motivation behind such callous acts, but they were in no way part of authorized ISAF military activity. An investigation is already underway and every effort will be made to establish the facts and hold anyone responsible to account. In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with those caught in this tragedy. I wish once again, on behalf of Gen. Allen and all members of ISAF, to convey our deep regrets and sorrow at this appalling incident.”
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Report: Afghan civilians caught in firing line of British troops (The Guardian)Kandahar Governor Tooryalai Wisa told Reuters a US soldier left his base in Kandahar on Saturday and opened fire on civilians. He said initial reports indicated up to 16 civilians were killed. That could not be immediately confirmed.
Civilian casualties have been a major source of friction between President Hamid Karzai’s government and US-led Nato forces in Afghanistan. Anti-American sentiment had already been running high before news of the latest civilian casualties.
Anger gripped the country after US soldiers burned a large number of copies of the Quran at a Nato base last month. Nato said it was a tragic blunder. Thirty people were killed in protests and Afghan forces turned their weapons on US soldiers, killing six.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."