KABUL – Afghan officials launched an investigation Wednesday into claims atleast 14 civilians were killed in a military ground operation targeting theIslamic State group in their stronghold in eastern Afghanistan.
Following Tuesday night s raid by Afghan special forces in Rodat districtof Nangarhar province, scores of protesters temporarily blocked a majorhighway linking Afghanistan and Pakistan to demand action against thoseresponsible for the attack.
Sultan Mohammad, who was among the protesters, told AFP 14 people werekilled in the operation and four others were wounded.
Local elder Najibullah Amarkhil put the death toll slightly higher at 16,including women and children. “Government forces raided several houses –they killed 14 people, including a six-month-old baby,” Amarkhil told AFP,adding two more died from their wounds in hospital.
“We demand the government punish those responsible.”
Afghan broadcaster Tolo News said the death toll was “at least 17”.
Images posted on Tolo s Twitter account purportedly showed dozens of mencrowded around the bodies of victims under a tent next to the highwayconnecting the Nangarhar provincial capital of Jalalabad with Torkham, oneof the major border crossings into Pakistan.
Provincial governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani confirmed there had beencasualties in the operation and said an official probe was under way.
“A delegation has been sent to the area to investigate the incident andreport back to us,” Khogyani told AFP.
Ordinary Afghans have borne the brunt of the 17-year war, which is on trackto be deadlier than Syria in 2018.
Civilians continue to face “extreme levels of harm”, a recent UN reportsaid, with 8,050 people killed or wounded in the January to Septemberperiod.
Violence has intensified in the past year as US and Afghan forces step upground and air offensives against Taliban and IS insurgents.
IS, a smaller but potent rival of the Taliban, emerged in the region in2014 and quickly established a heavy presence in Afghanistan s east beforeexpanding north.