Afghans Fear US Army, NATO More Than the Taliban

On Wednesday, 12 civilians were killed and 16 wounded in an American airstrike in Dasht-e-Bari, an area of the city Pul-e-Alam, the capital of Logar province, according to Afghan broadcaster 1TV.

US media also reported on the incident, saying that 11 civilians were killed, including eight women.

The Afghan and American forces apparently came under fire from the Taliban while an American helicopter attempted to make a "precautionary landing because of a maintenance issue," The New York Times quotes Capt. Bill Salvin, a spokesman for the United States military in Afghanistan, as saying.

The allied forces have called for air support and another aircraft bombed the house from where militants allegedly fired at the helicopter.

"Three families were living in the house which was bombed; 11 people, including eight women, were killed," the newspaper quotes Hawas Khan...