Civilian casualty has been a critical issue that frequently fuelled tension between Afghan government and international allies. And the main reason behind NATO-caused tolls is said to be aerial operations across the country. Some airstrikes, either because of missing the target or inaccurate information, are believed to bring about civilian casualties. Addressing a conference at Kabul's National Military Academy, Karzai expressed his anger about the strike and said he would issue a decree on preventing any resort of such measures by his forces.
He issued a decree banning Afghan security forces to call for aerial support from NATO allies to strike militants in residential area. Karzai said he had been told that the air strike was requested by the Afghan security forces. "If this is true, it is very regrettable and it is very shameful. How could they ask foreigners to send planes and bomb our own houses?" he said.
No doubt, air strikes are recognized very effective in hunting Taliban and Al-Qaeda leaders in the remote and mountainous areas, but sometimes, due to false information, they prove costly for innocent villagers. But generally operations proved highly effective in dealing severe blow to insurgency through hunting key figures in AFPAK region. Indeed, air power is crucial for Afghan forces, particularly in areas like Kunar and Nuristan, which are covered with forests and rough terrains, making ground operations difficult. Nuristan and Kunar also share a long, porous border with areas inside Pakistan that are known to be ‘safe haven’ to fighters and al-Qaida members.
But President Karzai opposes the strikes because they are claimed to be the main reason behind NATO-caused civilian casualties. Several times, he asked for complete stoppage of aerial attacks, in general, and night raids, in particular.
But international forces have not yielded to his demands because they believe such operations are efficient as well as inexpensive due to lesser amount of men and money involved. On the other hand, Taliban and al-Qaeda are mainly guilty for a large number of civilian casualties as they are devising explosive devices in public areas, targeting people indiscriminately and committing suicidal attacks. However, the statement does not mean that deaths of innocent people by NATO forces be ignored or justified. International forces must take due steps to bring down tolls among innocent villagers to least possible level.
Nonetheless, it should not be forgotten that militants can be targeted properly only when they come under psychological fear of airstrikes. In ground combat, they are strong to exert resistance to Afghan security forces, which may increase when they are aware that air power would not come to help Afghan security forces. But what is important is the outcome.
If there is a close relation between air-strike and Taliban weakening, then it can be justified legally and morally. The weakening of insurgency definitely leads to lesser civilian casualty. On other hand, if international forces stop air operations, then the insurgency will get stronger and increase the civilian casualties. If militants get stronger, we would be witness to murder of hundreds of Afghan civilians.
Therefore, it is necessary to form a strategy wherein the air-strike is made more cautious so that they do not result in any civilian casualty as banning the air-support for Afghan forces completely would not be advisable at a time when there has to be strong security apparatus in place.