NATO to Probe Civilian Casualties Reports After US Strike in Afghanistan

The Resolute Support mission promised to investigate reports of civilian casualties after US airstrikes in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The NATO-led Resolute Support mission will investigate reports of civilian casualties after US forces’ airstrikes in the Afghan city of Kunduz, according to the mission’s announcement on Thursday.

To clarify, US forces conducted strikes in #Kunduz to defend friendly forces. All civilian casualty claims will be investigated.

— Resolute Support (@ResoluteSupport) 3 ноября 2016 г.

The US-led NATO mission in Afghanistan formally ended its operations in December 2014 after a presence in the country since 2001 to help local authorities defeat the Taliban Islamist movement.

The Resolute Support mission, focused on training, advising and assisting Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, was launched on January 1, 2015.

Afghanistan is in a state of political and social turmoil, with government forces fighting the continuing Taliban insurgency. The instability has persisted in the country since the 2001 US-led invasion to defeat the Taliban and al-Qaeda in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the United States.