The United States-led coalition in Afghanistan said on Wednesday an initial investigation showed that troops opened fire in “self-defence” this week after a deadly traffic accident set off widespread rioting.
Afghan officials had told the coalition that 20 people were killed and 160 wounded in the accident and subsequent rioting that engulfed the city on Monday, coalition spokesperson Tom Collins said, giving a new toll for the day’s events.
The crowd had gathered after a heavy US military truck lost control and ploughed into several vehicles at the northern entrance to the city during rush hour.
The mob “became increasingly hostile, throwing rocks and threatening US forces”, Collins said.
“There are indications that coalition soldiers did in fact use their weapons in self-defence,” he said.
“Our initial investigations show that fire came from the crowd and our soldiers used their weapons to defend themselves,” Collins repeated, adding it was not clear who had fired first.
He said it was too early to tell if the soldiers had shot into the crowd as well as above it. Witnesses said they saw gunfire from US soldiers kill four people.
“There is a lot we do not know. We are determined to get to the facts of what happened,” he said.
Monday’s rioting swept through the capital like wildfire with more than 1Â 000 men rampaging through the streets in various places in the worst violence in the capital since the Taliban were forced from power in late 2001.
Scores of buildings were torched, including the offices of Care International and several expatriate guesthouses. Cars were smashed and burnt and dozens of police posts gutted.
The Parliament demanded on Tuesday the arrest of those responsible for the traffic accident, which the coalition says killed one person but the president’s office has said killed five.
Collins said the driver of the truck had taken “extraordinary measures” to avoid the accident after the vehicle’s brakes failed, but had been unable to avoid hitting some cars.
“The soldier is not under arrest. We have no indications at this time that he acted inappropriately,” he said.
Some analysts have said the violence flared so quickly in part because people have become fed up with the behaviour of US troops, who drive and act aggressively as they move through the city.
Collins said the coalition was aware of these concerns and was addressing them. “This is indeed a regrettable incident. We understand why the people are angry,” he said. — AFP