Karzai slams NATO over killing of 10 election workers

Ten Afghan civilians were killed Thursday in a NATO airstrike on three vehicles carrying election campaign workers in northern Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai said in a statement.

"In the war on terror, pro-democracy people should be distinguished from those who fight against democracy," Karzai said, adding that airstrikes over Afghan villages will achieve nothing in the war on terrorism but the killing of Afghan civilians.

Major General David Garza, deputy chief of staff for joint operations at the International Security Assistance Force's joint command, said in a statement that the operation had targeted vehicles carrying a member of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.

"We're aware of the allegations that this strike caused civilian casualties and we'll do our best to get to the bottom of the accusations," Garza said.

Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates paid a surprise visit to Kabul after attending ceremonies to mark the end of US combat operations in Iraq.

Gates was due to meet Karzai later Thursday. After that, he will hold talks with US General David Petraeus, commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan, and US ambassador Karl Eikenberry. He will also visit US troops in Afghanistan.

Agencies