NATO admits killing Afghan civilians in February raid

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/WORLD/americas/04/22/canada.afghanistan/art.canadian.soldier.afp.gi.jpg caption="Relations between Afghanistan and troops from Western nations are strained."]

CNN

NATO acknowledged Sunday that its troops killed five Afghans in a botched nighttime raid in February - after initially saying the civilians may have been victims of an "honor killing."

Even though civilian casualties at the hands of NATO troops have fallen off in recent months, such incidents have strained relationship between Afghanistan and the Western nations that make up the International Security Assistance Force.

At the time of the February 12 incident, NATO said its troops went to a compound in the village of Khatabeh in the Paktia province, believing it to be a militant hideout.

A firefight ensued and several insurgents died, NATO said at the time.

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