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A young Afghan girl was killed when a box of public information leaflets dropped by an RAF aircraft landed on top of her, the Ministry of Defence confirmed today.
The box failed to break apart in mid-air and hit the young girl, who was taken to a hospital in Kandahar where she later died.
The leaflets were dropped over a rural area of Helmand province by an RAF C130 Hercules on June 23.
The RAF said it deeply regretted the incident and has launched an investigation into what happened.
A spokesman said: "In a tragic incident on 23 June, an air-drop of public information leaflets took place in a rural area in Helmand Province.
"It is a matter of deep regret that one of the boxes failed to fully open and on landing caused serious injuries to an Afghan child.
"The child was treated at a local medical facility in Kandahar where, despite the best efforts of staff, she died as a result of her injuries. An investigation into the incident is under way."
Defence sources said it was unfortunate that the young girl was taken to a local hospital in Kandahar, instead of to an International Security Assistance Force hospital, which may have been better equipped.
The MoD would not comment on what type of leaflet was involved, but said air drops - which include leaflets giving public information on the presidential elections and basic warnings about explosives - were common.
Last week, a UN report said about 1,500 civilians were killed in Afghanistan between January and August.
The UN added that rising violence ahead of Afghanistan's disputed presidential election made August the deadliest month of the year for civilians, but it did not provide specific figures for the month.
An Associated Press count found a total of 174 civilians were killed in August, 165 of them at the hands of militants.
Reader views (4)
Osa, London - what part of "A terrible tragedy for the family and the child concerned" didn't you understand? I was commenting about any "insensitive ignoramous" who would use the incident as a propaganda tool. Are you suggesting it wasn't a freak accident, that perhaps the RAF targeted the girl and 'murdered' her? Do you know anyone who would suggest this, I wonder? Do you think the child's life and death should be cheapened by people using it to score points for their favourite anti-whatever point of view? "Ignoramus"? I suggest you look closely at the mirror.
- Rogan, Irving
@Rogan,Irving,you are an insensitive ignoramous.Would you have said the same thing if that child was yours?
- Osa, London
Choose - leaflets or bombs? A terrible tragedy for the family and the child concerned, absolutely, but for the world generally this was a freak accident and nothing else. To make more of it is to cheapen the incident by using it as a propaganda tool.
- Rogan, Irving
Your Propaganda is killing the innocents.
- Smith, Texas
