2010 Sangin airstrike

"Sangin airstrike" redirects here. For 2017 airstrike in Sangin, see 2017 Sangin airstrike.
Sangin airstrike
DateJuly 23, 2010
Location
Sangin, Helmand province, Afghanistan
Result Estimated 39-52 people killed, mostly women and children

On July 23, 2010, a NATO attack killed and injured many Afghan civilians, most of whom were women and children, in the village of Sangin in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

The Afghan government claimed that a helicopter-gunship rocket strike killed 52 civilians.[1] Many other civilians including children were also injured and treated at Kandahar hospital.[2][1][3] For weeks, US military and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) officials denied that there had been any such incident.[4]

About 200-400 people took to the streets in Kabul, protesting the killing of civilians by foreign troops, carrying photos of those who died in the airstrike.[5][6]

The Karzai government sent investigators to the site, who concluded that 39 civilians were killed in the rocket strike

According to a statement by the Presidential Palace, the investigation confirmed that 39 civilians had been killed by NATO-led troops in Sangin.[7] The figure was lower than the initially reported 45–52. According to the investigation, all 39 dead were women or children.

  1. ^ a b Jon Boone in Kabul and Ali Safi in Kandahar. "Helmand residents accuse NATO of deliberate attack on civilians killing 52 « RAWA News". Rawa.org. Retrieved 2010-08-13.
  2. ^ Loyn, David (2010-07-25). "BBC News - Nato probes reports raid killed 45 Afghan civilians". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-08-13.
  3. ^ "7 children injured in troops-militants battle in S. Afghanistan". News.xinhuanet.com. 2010-07-24. Archived from the original on July 26, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-13.
  4. ^ "NATO Expresses Regrets Over Afghan Civilian Deaths In Military Operation". Rttnews.com. Retrieved 2010-08-13.
  5. ^ "Demonstrators hit the streets of Kabul". Itn.co.uk. 2010-08-01. Retrieved 2010-08-13.[permanent dead link‍]
  6. ^ "Stories:Afghans protest alleged NATO civilian deaths". Australia Network News. 2010-08-02. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-08-13.
  7. ^ "NATO Expresses Regrets Over Afghan Civilian Deaths In Military Operation". RTTNews. Retrieved 2024-05-24.