KUNDUZ CITY (PAN): Taliban insurgents and regional authorities have simultaneously released lists of victims of a deadly NATO air strike in Chahar Dara district of northern Kunduz province.
Provincial officials confirmed on Monday several residents of the district perished in Friday's air raid on two commercial fuel tankers hijacked by the militants from the Baghlan-Kunduz Highway.
The bombardment came as guerrillas and villagers emptied oil from the tankers into jerry canes in Haji Aman village of the restive district. Area dwellers claim up to 150 civilians were massacred and 20 others wounded in the bombing.
However, a list issued today by the fighters put the number of civilian deaths at 79. The fatalities include 28 farmers, 20 schoolchildren and eight drivers, according to the document that said an exact death toll was yet to be determined.
With inhabitants and eyewitness agreeing the number of deaths could exceed 120, the militants believed gathering accurate information would take time because the casualties belonged to far-flung areas.
Many of the dead either had their bodies blown to bits or charred beyond recognition while several corpses were washed away by the river where the fuel truck got stuck after being hijacked, they argued. "Many families are still unaware of the whereabouts of missing kin in the wake of the incident."
Chahar Dara district chief Abdul Wahid Omarkhel said he had drawn up a list of those killed in the explosion that resulted from the strike. According to him, 107 people from three villages were killed.
The list was prepared in consultation with tribal elders and influential people of the areas, said the district chief, who reckoned 29 people were wounded in the air strike.
He said some people from Shna Tepa village of Aliabad district also perished in the attack. However, dwellers say 20 people from their village were killed and as many wounded in the tragedy.
Children were among the dead, explained Omarkhel, who added it would be premature to say how many civilians and militants were among the fatalities. "It is up to the official delegation to make public the number of those killed in the attack."
Crime branch chief at the Interior Ministry Col Yar Mohammad Yarmal, who visited the district and met with elders and affected families on Monday, received a complete list of victims. That would be announced tomorrow, he promised.
Yarmal said he would hand over the list to the Presidential Palace after a meeting with ISAF officials based in the province.
On Sunday, government investigators met with elders of the district to ascertain information about casualties. The elders demanded of the government to award severe punishment to the perpetrators.
Governor Eng Mohammad Omar said the investigation process was underway and the district chief had been ordered to prepare the list of the victims for compensation.
According to the governor, 95 people including 35 militants and a regional commander Mullah Abur Rehman were killed in the raid. However, the provincial police chief put the militant toll at 52 dead and 13 wounded.
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