US offers 'deepest condolences' after Afghan shootings

Mar 11, 2012 |

Washington

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The United States offered ‘deepest condolences’ on Sunday to families of the victims of a US soldier who killed at least 16 civilians in a shooting rampage outside his base in Afghanistan.

"The United States extends deepest condolences to the families of today's tragic shooting and we're saddened by this violent act against our Afghan friends," a State Department spokeswoman said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families."

The incident occurred early on Sunday when a US soldier walked out of his base in the southern Kandahar province and began shooting civilians.

An AFP reporter at the scene counted the bodies of 16 people, including women and children.

The rampage was the latest in a series of incidents that have badly frayed US-Afghan relations, complicating plans for a gradual withdrawal of the 130,000-strong US-led NATO force by the end of 2014.

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