Gathering Firewood, 9 Afghan Boys Killed by NATO Helicopters
By ALISSA J. RUBIN and SANGAR RAHIMI
Published: March 2, 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/03/world/asia/03afghan.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

KABUL, Afghanistan — Nine boys collecting firewood to heat their homes in the eastern Afghanistan mountains were killed by NATO helicopter gunners who mistook them for insurgents, according to a statement on Wednesday by NATO, which apologized for the mistake.
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The boys, who were 9 to 15 years old, were attacked on Tuesday in what amounted to one of the war’s worst cases of mistaken killings by foreign-led forces. The victims included two sets of brothers. A 10th boy survived.

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