Afghan officials, on Tuesday, admitted that most of the people killed in the recent Kunduz attack were civilians. The security forces had bombed a religious seminary – where previous claims suggested that the Taliban leadership had gathered – on April 2, killing and wounding more than 100 people. Afghanistan’s UN mission, in a statement, also said that it was investigating reports of serious harm to civilians in the attack.
The attack also drew the ire of Twitter uses both in Afghanistan and abroad:
https://twitter.com/alibomaye/status/981048692978409472
US backed Afghan military airstrike kills 80 worshippers at a mosque in Kunduz today. pic.twitter.com/0HvPvWecpD
— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) April 2, 2018
https://twitter.com/Fazal17Khan/status/980847242822250501
Hamid Karzai strongly condemns airstrikes in Dasht-e Archi, Kunduz that killed and wounded civilians. Former President said “such raids, carried out in the name of fighting terrorism, on our homes, hospitals and religious facilities are against all principles"…
— Hamid Karzai (@KarzaiH) April 2, 2018
This is just awful, sickening, and beyond tragic. There's no other way to describe it. https://t.co/k9FkQWTPVq
— Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) April 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/HNadim87/status/981287619798581248
Terrible reports coming out from Kunduz, Afghanistan, saying that a mosque has been attacked by airstrikes while a student ceremony took place. If true, it would be a total massacre. More news coming.
— Emran Feroz (@Emran_Feroz) April 2, 2018
'Not a terrorist': Civilians – mostly children- killed in Afghan air attack in #Kunduz. Officials say there were Taliban fighters in the gathering, many ask, how were children killed?
My latest for @AJEnglish on this tragic story https://t.co/Q4KI2UiE77— Shereena Qazi (@ShereenaQazi) April 3, 2018
The US said its targeted Taliban leaders, Afghans on the ground say those killed in Sunday's airstrike in Kunduz were mostly children https://t.co/HA2lNvFGy3 via @ShereenaQazi for @AJEnglish
— Shafik Mandhai (@ShafikFM) April 3, 2018
I am deeply saddened by the news of civilian casualties in Dasht-e Archi of Kunduz. I offer my heartfelt sympathy to their families and loved ones and pray for enduring peace in the country. The killing of innocent Afghans under any circumstances is not acceptable. #Kunduz
— Hekmat Khalil Karzai (@HekmatKarzai) April 3, 2018
Disclaimer: Views expressed on this blog are not necessarily endorsed or supported by the Center for Research and Security Studies, Islamabad.
