U.S. admits strike killed 13 civilians
An operation the American military at first described as a “precision strike” instead killed 13 Afghan civilians and only three militants, the U.S. said Saturday, three days after sending a general to the site to investigate.
Civilian casualties have been a huge source of friction between the U.S. and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has stepped up demands that U.S. and NATO operations kill no civilians and that Afghan soldiers take part in missions to help prevent unwanted deaths.
The U.S. military originally said 15 militants were killed Tuesday in a coalition operation in the Gozara district of Herat province, but Afghan officials said six women and two children were among the dead, casting doubt on the U.S. claim.
Tehran, Iran
Authorities block pro-Khatami sites
Iranian authorities have blocked two Web sites promoting the presidential bid of Mohammed Khatami, reformists said Saturday, in a first sign that powerful hard-liners might seek to thwart his challenge to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June 12 election.
Khatami declared on Feb. 8 he would run again for president, setting the stage for a major political showdown in coming months between the popular reformist – who made dialogue with the West a centerpiece of his eight years as president – and the country’s ruling hard-liners.
His candidacy poses a serious threat amid popular discontent with Ahmadinejad over the sagging economy.
Hanoi, Vietnam
First oil refinery opens today
Vietnam will open its first oil refinery today, a $3 billion project that will meet one-third of the nation’s petroleum needs and ease its dependence on imported fuel.
The opening of the Dung Quat refinery, which took four years to build, is a milestone for Vietnam, an oil-exporting nation that, until now, did not have the capacity to process its own fuel.
The new plant in central Quang Ngai province will reach its full capacity of 7.1 million U.S. tons of crude oil per year in August, according to oil and gas monopoly PetroVietnam.
The refinery was built by a consortium led by the French company Technip S.A. Its opening comes after years of delays.