TEMPLATE REPORT

Two brothers who were out collecting firewood with their donkeys have been killed during an air strike from a Nato helicopter.

The new American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford said the killings were an accident. “I offer my personal apology and condolences to the family of the boys who were killed,” General Dunford said. “We take full responsibility for this tragedy.”

The victims – Toor Jan, 11, and Andul Wodood, 12 –  had been walking behind their donkeys in the Shahed-e-Hasas district of Oruzgan Province when the helicopter fired on them, according to Afghan officials in the district. The two donkeys were killed as well.

General Dunford said that coalition forces had opened fire on what they thought were insurgent forces, and killed the boys by accident.

There was some disagreement about the presence of Taliban in the area and about the details of the episode.

Haji Mohammad Esmail, head of the district shura or council, said the area was “fully under government control,” and that “we haven’t seen any engagement in the area and nor is the area threatened by the Taliban.”

This is the second airstrike to kill civilians since General Dunford assumed command in February –  In Kunar Province in eastern Afghanistan, up to 11 civilians were killed, including 5 children, when airstrikes were used to destroy two homes.