Enemy Forcing Civilians To Make False Casualty Claims
Civilian Deaths ‘Inflated’
By Charles Haviland
BBC News, Kabul
The Afghan government and Nato have said publicly that figures for civilian casualties after military action are often exaggerated or fabricated.
Officials say insurgents are exploiting the issue to pressue the government.
The remarks came amid continuing regular reports of high numbers of civilian deaths or injuries as a result of foreign military strikes.
The foreign forces here admit they are fighting a battle for people’s hearts and minds, as well as a military one.
‘Inflated figures’
The Nato-led force in the country, Isaf, has now stepped up that campaign, with its spokeswoman, Lt-Col Maria Carl, giving a press conference alongside the Afghan defence ministry spokesman, Gen Zahir Azimi.
Lt-Col Carl said accounts of civilian casualties after military engagements often turned out to be inflated or completely fabricated.
She gave recent examples, including village elders’ accounts of more than 100 civilian deaths in western Afghanistan a few days ago.
Lt-Col Carl said it was now clear that no civilians had died there, saying that in fact foreign and Afghan forces had moved villagers to safety.
Gen Azimi from the defence ministry said the Taleban regularly forced villagers to phone media outlets with inflated figures, threatening to behead them if they did not do so.
Gen Azimi added that to work out accurate casualty figures took time - time which the insurgents could fill with propaganda.
Last month a group of charities said that foreign forces had killed well over 200 civilians since the start of the year.
Contacted by the BBC, the group’s director said she acknowledged it was not easy to gather accurate information, but added that Isaf had not disputed its figures which came from a range of sources.
Nato’s civilian spokesman, who was at the same news conference, said Isaf was working with the Afghan government on new guidelines to minimise civilian casualties, which would be announced very soon.
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oh no! the taliban and friends are lying? it can’t be! brian williams knows the truth!
July 13th, 2007 at 3:44 amPropaganda? You don’t say! Not in a war.
July 13th, 2007 at 3:51 am“Gen Azimi added that to work out accurate casualty figures took time - time which the insurgents could fill with propaganda.” - And the media eats up all that jihadist propaganda without a single ounce of shame. Gee.
July 13th, 2007 at 3:54 amHey Steve in NC… if its good for Hillary then Brian will be the first to report it! He should just tatoo “I’m with Hillary” on his forehead. He totally kisses her and Bill’s ass when ever he interviews them.
Of course he gives unbiased coverage of world news. Yep… sure… true story… no bold face lie there!
Its a “fuller spectrum of news”… right!
I enjoy hearing about their staff and budget cutbacks… they will end up in the dustbin of history where they belong.
Long live Pat Dollard!
July 13th, 2007 at 3:59 amHappened to my unit. We were baby killers because they said we were baby killers. American reporters would rather believe someone who wants to kill them and destroy their country rather than their own military.
July 13th, 2007 at 6:22 amSo let me see here. The MSM is buying the crud that our enemies are putting out. Great, so our universities are graduating people who do not have any sort of critical thinking capacity. Oh fucking Duh.
And the enemy is using propaganda. More duh?
July 13th, 2007 at 6:45 amyou mean when muhammed said “war is deceit” he actually meant it
July 13th, 2007 at 6:55 amCplUsmc, brings back memories. Remember when we used to throw them up into the air and catch them with our bayonets? My favorite part was the veins hangin’ out my teeth. JFC With us it’s the exception, with them it’s the rule.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:37 amcpl usmc,, was it a coinsidence that u said “”rather” believe”" or a pun??? i think dan rather is doing the writing for the tali(democrats)ban,,,he is good at using the press to press his own agenda,,sgtusmc(67/70)
July 13th, 2007 at 3:05 pmI find it truly fascinating how the terrorists operate. They run propaganda stating that the United States is the “Great Satan”, then run around telling stories who immoral our society is…
The true irony is this: in the United States, we throw the mass murderers, rapists, sadists, mentally unbalanced, and cold blooded thugs in prison. Hamas, al Qaeda, and Hezbollah will take the same bunch of degenerates, hands them Korans, and then place them in positions of power so they’re revered.
July 13th, 2007 at 9:07 pm