KABUL ( 2008-09-17 16:35:58 ) :US Defence Secretary Robert Gates expressed regret Wednesday over the deaths of Afghan civilians in coalition air strikes, while suggesting more US troops would be sent to the country next year.
On a visit to Afghanistan, he pledged to try to find better ways to target insurgents, voicing "sincere condolences and perrsonal regret over the recent loss of innocent lives as a result of coalition air strikes."
Commanders have been increasingly resorting to air power to support ground operations and reduce casualties to their own forces as they tackle a growing insurgency by Taliban and al Qaeda militants.
But there have been a growing number of cases in which civilians have also been killed, angering the local population and prompting calls by the Afghan government for new rules on the use of force by international troops.
"You have my word we will do everything in our power to target our common enemy while protecting the good people of Afghanistan," Gates told reporters after meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
The US administration has already announced an increase of 4,500 soldiers for Afghanistan early next year, but Gates' remarks suggested the Pentagon was preparing to send in even more soldiers later.
"In addition to the forces our international partners have agreed to send, we will be sending additional forces in 2009, and my expectation is we will be able to meet the requirements the commanders have in the course of 2009," he told reporters.
In the most high-profile incident of air strike casualties, Afghan and UN officials charge that 90 civilians, including women and children, were killed August 22 in western Afghanistan.
Gates said nothing about the ongoing investigation, but stressed that "the US military makes every effort to avoid civilian casualties."
"It is clear we'll have to work even harder," he conceded, before flying to Bagram airbase, north of Kabul, to receive detailed briefings on the US close air support as well as reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence to target insurgents.
Asked about stepped-up US strikes across the border into Pakistan's tribal areas, he said Washington would work with Islamabad to address the problem of safe havens.
He said he was encouraged by recent Pakistani military operations which had put pressure on extremists.
On a visit to Afghanistan, he pledged to try to find better ways to target insurgents, voicing "sincere condolences and perrsonal regret over the recent loss of innocent lives as a result of coalition air strikes."
Commanders have been increasingly resorting to air power to support ground operations and reduce casualties to their own forces as they tackle a growing insurgency by Taliban and al Qaeda militants.
But there have been a growing number of cases in which civilians have also been killed, angering the local population and prompting calls by the Afghan government for new rules on the use of force by international troops.
"You have my word we will do everything in our power to target our common enemy while protecting the good people of Afghanistan," Gates told reporters after meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
The US administration has already announced an increase of 4,500 soldiers for Afghanistan early next year, but Gates' remarks suggested the Pentagon was preparing to send in even more soldiers later.
"In addition to the forces our international partners have agreed to send, we will be sending additional forces in 2009, and my expectation is we will be able to meet the requirements the commanders have in the course of 2009," he told reporters.
In the most high-profile incident of air strike casualties, Afghan and UN officials charge that 90 civilians, including women and children, were killed August 22 in western Afghanistan.
Gates said nothing about the ongoing investigation, but stressed that "the US military makes every effort to avoid civilian casualties."
"It is clear we'll have to work even harder," he conceded, before flying to Bagram airbase, north of Kabul, to receive detailed briefings on the US close air support as well as reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence to target insurgents.
Asked about stepped-up US strikes across the border into Pakistan's tribal areas, he said Washington would work with Islamabad to address the problem of safe havens.
He said he was encouraged by recent Pakistani military operations which had put pressure on extremists.
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