British MP seeks inquiry into Afghan civilian casualties

An MP in British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Labour Party has demanded an investigation into reports that the US targeted civilian homes in an attack on the Afghan village of Niazi Qala last Saturday.

Donald Anderson, the chairman of the British Government’s foreign affairs select committee, said evidence of civilian casualties was “very disturbing indeed”.

The US military has insisted that its target in Niazi Qala was a Taliban and al-Qaida compound, but the BBC has said it has evidence that innocent villagers were killed in the attack.

Among the debris it found in the village were children’s shoes, school books and blood-stained women’s clothes.

“On the face of it, it appears to be a massive failure of intelligence, or checking out that intelligence, and an inquiry is demanded,” Mr Anderson said.

“The US always pride themselves, quite rightly, on seeking to defend their own military. I think their allies should demand they have the same stringent tests to protect civilians. I would hope that the allies, including Britain, would demand that this sort of incident is fully investigated and the lessons learned.”