Afghans Protest Civilian Deaths From Suspected Air Strike In Kunduz

Dozens of people have rallied in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz to protest against an air strike that they say caused civilian casualties.

The protesters carried the bodies of about 20 people, including children, through the streets of Kunduz on November 3.

Local officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said an air strike was carried out in the Burj Kandahari area in the city’s outskirts but couldn’t confirm the civilians’ death.

It’s also not clear whether the air strike was conducted by Afghan forces or coalition forces.

Also on November 3, two U.S. soldiers were killed while assisting Afghan security forces in operations against Taliban militants around Kunduz.

It was not immediately clear whether the two incidents were related.

The U.S. soldiers came under fire on November 3 “during a train, advise, and assist mission with our Afghan partners to clear a Taliban position and disrupt the group's operations in Kunduz district," the alliance said.

"Despite today's tragic event, we are steadfast in our commitment to help our Afghan partners defend their nation," said John Nicholson, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan.

The deaths underline the precarious security situation around Kunduz, which Taliban militants managed to enter last month, a year after they briefly captured the city.

U.S. combat operations largely ended in 2014 but special operations forces have been repeatedly engaged in combat, providing assistance to Afghan security forces.

Based on reporting by AP, dpa, AFP, and Reuters