Red Cross Says Up To 600 Bodies Found In Mazar-I-Sharif

Yahoo Nes Singapore ^ | November 23,2001

[sweetliberty]

GENEVA (Reuters) - The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Thursday that between 400 and 600 bodies had been found in the northern Afghan town of Mazar-i-Sharif after its capture by the Northern Alliance.

Spokeswoman Macarena Aguilar could not say whether the dead had been executed or killed in fighting that preceded the fall of the town on November 9.

"I know 400 to 600 bodies have been found and that we have so far buried 300," Aguilar told Reuters.

"I cannot say how they died," she added. She could not say from what ethnic group the dead had come.

The fall of Mazar, close to Afghanistan's frontier with Uzbekistan, triggered a whirlwind advance by the Northern Alliance that has seen them capture much of the country.

The Alliance, which once had just 10 percent of Afghanistan, turned the tables on its former rulers, the Taliban, with the help of massive air strikes by the United States.

Washington accused the Muslim fundamentalist regime of harbouring Saudi-born Islamic militant Osama bin Laden, who it blames for the September 11 plane hijackings in which some 4,000 people died in New York and Washington.

The rapid gains by the Alliance have also brought fears of a repeat of the massacres that have been a hallmark of the impoverished country's decade-long civil war.

The ICRC said in a statement that it had also been visiting some of the 240 prisoners officially being held by the Northern Alliance in Mazar.

[Rustynailww]

why should we care?

[onyx]

We don't.

[sweetliberty]

Nes = News

Bodoes = Bodies

I am so bad about remembering to proof read headers! Sorry.

[sarasmom]

Is that all? D**n, I was sure there would be more....

[sweetliberty]

Something to be thankful for perhaps?

[SuziQ]

Spokeswoman Macarena Aguilar could not say whether the dead had been executed or killed in fighting that preceded the fall of the town on November 9.

It seems to me the only reason a story like this is printed is to try and turn some Americanas AGAINST the allies efforts in Afghanistan. I read a story last week wherein a doctor at a local hospital had been interviewed and was asked about ALL THOSE CIVILIANS killed by US and Alliance attacks. The doctor said he'd seen a hundred or so bodies, but couldn't say whether they were civilians or Taliban soldiers.

Unfortunately there are always non-combatants killed in any sort of military action, but in the news reports coming from Afghanistan, especially when the journalists were still under the thumb of the Taliban 'minders' there seemed to be many stories like this. Until the smoke clears, we'll never know, and maybe not even then.

[Alouette]

Who is the U.S. military commander of the coalition? Is he going to be charged with war crimes in Belgium?

[sweetliberty]

Probably true, but I guess I didn't interpet it as civilian bodies, although perhaps some were. My reaction to the article was not one of sympathy. Maybe it should had been. I don't know. Today I have been watching such things as Portraits Of Lives Lost on Fox News, and I think how much WE have lost and remind myself that this is war, and that if these people survive, even many who are innocent now would raise up more children who would take the place of other terrorists who had died and the children themselves may even grow up with an image of a slain Osama bin Laden as a hero to be emulated. As a result, I can look at this and be thankful that we are winning, and pray that God have mercy on any who are truly innocent.

[McGavin999]

Why would he be tried? Chances are the Taliban killed these people when they wanted to surrender, or maybe when they didn't want to surrender. In this war, you never know who killed who.

Looks like the person who wrote this article forgot there's a war going on.

[San Jacinto]

Spokeswoman Macarena Aguilar could not say whether the dead had been executed or killed in fighting that preceded the fall of the town on November 9.

What difference does it make?

[Redcloak]

Jihad happens.

[scannell]

This is nothing more than the Liberal Press taking a statement and causing Americans to believe this is some kind of massacre. All they (Red Cross) said is that there were 600 bodies (maybe). Hell, this is a war, is that all. These are nothing more than the foreign al Queda fighters that holed up at a girls school in Mazar-e Sharif and refused to surrender (although 200 did surrender) but chose to fight it out to the death instead. ANY WAY YOU LIKE IT!

[Lent]

The rapid gains by the Alliance have also brought fears of a repeat of the massacres that have been a hallmark of the impoverished country's decade-long civil war.

Interesting that the bone-headed writer left this explanation as a possible explanation.

[hsszionist]

I thought the red cresent serviced the Islamics?

[poppytpee]

That's over 5,000 innocent Americans murdered on 9/11 minus 600 killed in Mazar-I-Sharif means 4,400 more to go just to get even.

If the 600 are terrorists, then good. Otherwise "oops!"

[Jorge]

If they are Taliban, Al-Qaeda or anyone supporting Bin Laden I say good riddance.
They were given the chance to hand over the terrorists..and they refused.

This is war.
The more of them that are dead......the better I sleep at night.

[Jorge]

The rapid gains by the Alliance have also brought fears of a repeat of the massacres that have been a hallmark of the impoverished country's decade-long civil war.

This explains the people celebrating and dancing in the streets of Kabul after the Alliance liberated them from the Taliban.

[ValerieUSA]

What a lame report from the Red Cross. No attempt to ID the bodies? No documentation of the sex or age or alliance of the deceased? Just come across some bodies and bury them, then say you saw them. How credible.

[redhead]

"This is nothing more than the Liberal Press taking a statement and causing Americans to believe this is some kind of massacre. All they (Red Cross) said is that there were 600 bodies (maybe). Hell, this is a war, is that all. These are nothing more than the foreign al Queda fighters that holed up at a girls school in Mazar-e Sharif and refused to surrender (although 200 did surrender) but chose to fight it out to the death instead. ANY WAY YOU LIKE IT!"

I agree. Note the date. These bodies were killed BEFORE 11/9. Why is this news just now being released by the Red Cross? Perhaps because they need a little boost for the antiwar lefties? This gets my vote...