DUBAI (Reuters) - A stray American bomb has killed at least 10 people in a village controlled by Afghanistan's opposition Northern Alliance, Qatar's al-Jazeera television reported on Sunday.It quoted medical sources in the city of Jabal-us-Saraj as saying that the village, which was hit on Saturday, was located just a few miles from the frontline between the forces of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement and the Northern Alliance. (Read photo caption below)
The television station did not provide the name of the village but it broadcast footage of destroyed houses, apparently in the village.
Jazeera said a team of Italian medics operating in the area confirmed the attack, saying 16 people were killed. A source at the Northern Alliance Foreign Ministry also confirmed to Jazeera that the village had been hit, but gave no details on the casualties.
U.S. warplanes have been pounding the Taliban frontline positions near the capital Kabul in an apparent bid to boost the Northern Alliance forces.
Many foreign fighters, including Arabs, Pakistanis and Chechens are fighting on Taliban front lines and are among the fiercest and most determined soldiers in the hardline militia.
The Taliban controls some 90 percent of Afghanistan, while the Northern Alliance controls the rest.
The U.S. began military operations against Afghanistan three weeks ago to flush out Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden, Washington prime suspect in last month's suicide attacks on New York City and Washington. Bin Laden has denied responsibility for the attacks.
The Taliban says hundreds of Afghan civilians have been killed by stray U.S. bombs or missiles.
PHOTO CAPTION:
Flight crew members walk nearby a line of seven F-18 Hornet jet fighters being readied on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson early October 27, 2001. Aviators on the Carl Vinson, one of several US naval battle groups in The Arabian Sea. A stray American bomb has killed at least 10 people in a village controlled by Afghanistan's opposition Northern Alliance. (Jim Hollander/Reuters)
- Oct 27 3:14 PM ET