The United Nations says its investigation into U.S. airstrikes on Friday in western Afghanistan found "convincing evidence" that the operation killed 90 civilians - 60 of whom were children. U.S. officials say the strikes killed 25 militants and five civilians, but they are continuing an investigation into the incident.
联合国表示，对美国星期五在阿富汗西部地区空袭行动的调查发现了“令人信服的证据”，那次军事行动导致90名平民丧生，其中60人是儿童。美国官员表示，那次袭击打死了25名激进分子和5名平民。不过，美方正在继续对事件展开调查。
The United Nations weighed in on the disputed air strike just days after Afghan President Hamid Karzai denounced the civilian deaths in the attack.
联合国阿富汗援助团(UNAMA)对有争议的空中打击行动提出证据前几天前，阿富汗总统卡尔扎伊对攻击行动造成平民死亡进行谴责。
U.N. spokesman Aleem Siddique called on the international and Afghan military forces to review the conduct of the operation to prevent a repeat of what he called a tragic incident.
联合国发言人西迪基呼吁外国以及阿富汗军队重新检讨他们在军事行动中的做法，防止悲剧事件的重演。
"Investigations by UNAMA found convincing evidence, based on the testimony of eyewitnesses, and others, that some 90 civilians were killed, including 60 children, 15 men and 15 women," he said. "This matter is of grave concern to the United Nations, we have repeatedly made clear that the safety and welfare of civilians must be considered above all else during the planning and conduct of all military operations."
他说：“在目击者证言以及其他情况的基础之上，联合国进行的调查发现了令人信服的证据，有90多名平民被打死，其中包括60名儿童，15名男子以及15名妇女。这次事件引起了联合国的严重关注，我们一再重申，在所有军事行动的制定和实施过程中，平民的安全和福祉是要考虑的高于一切的问题。”
Afghan officials who visited the region following Friday's airstrike said locals reported similar death tolls, and disputed that Taliban forces were in the region. The U.S. military said the airstrikes were called in after a group of wanted militants fired on a U.S.-Afghan joint patrol.
星期五空袭事件后视察上述地区的阿富汗官员说，当地人员报告了类似的死亡人数，他们还驳斥了塔利班在这一带活动的说法。美国军方说，那次空中打击行动是在一批受到通辑的激进分子向美国和阿富汗联合巡逻队开火后实施的。
Officers said troops immediately searched the area afterward and reported 25 militants were among the 30 dead.
美国军官说，在袭击之后，联军部队立即搜查了这个地区，并且报告说，有30人死亡，包括25名激进分子。
Pentagon officials say they are concerned about the conflicting reports and are continuing their own investigation. Spokesman Bryan Whitman said he did not know when the investigation would end and its results released. But he told reporters he has received no indication that the initial U.S. account is inaccurate.
美国国防部官员说，他们对相互矛盾的报道感到忧虑，并且将继续进行调查。美国国防部发言人怀特曼说，他不知道调查什么时候结束，也不知道调查结果何时公布。不过他对记者说，他并没有看到美国对这次事件最初的报告有不准确的地方。
In Afghanistan, President Karzai released a statement ordering Afghan ministries to regulate the presence of foreign troops and try to end airstrikes on civilian targets. On Sunday, President Karzai is reported to have fired an Afghan Army general and another officer for their roll in the operation and for concealing information about the deaths.
在阿富汗方面，阿富汗总统卡尔扎伊发表声明，命令阿富汗政府各个部门对外国驻军进行约束，争取制止对平民目标的空袭。星期天，卡尔扎伊据说还解除了一名将军和另外一名军官的职务，理由是他们对这次军事行动负责，并且隐瞒了死亡人数的情况。
Mr. Karzai's spokesman Humayun Hamidzada told reporters the government does not want foreign troops to leave Afghanistan, but said their actions must be within the framework of Afghan and international law.
卡尔扎伊的发言人哈米扎达对新闻界说，阿富汗政府不希望外国军队撤离阿富汗，不过他表示，外国军队在行动的时候必须遵守阿富汗的法律和有关国际法。
NATO and U.S. military officials insist they take great care in targeting airstrikes, but militants frequently hide in civilian areas.
北约和美国军方官员坚持表示，他们在发动空袭时对目标的处理非常小心，不过极端分子经常藏在平民地区。 |