of those killed were civilians. September 30, 2009 – The Dutch Defense Ministry said that two Dutch F-16 fighter planes provided air support during what was referred to as "heavy fighting" between British ground troops and the Taliban in Helmand Province. British troops on the ground gave the planes the coordinates of a house from which they were being fired upon. One Dutch F-16 then dropped one precision bomb on the house. "Afterwards it appeared that apart from the Taliban fighters, there were civilians in the house as well. The Taliban had hidden among the civilians," the ministry said. French press agency AFP quoted a local authority saying nine people died, including six children. December 25, 2009 – Ten Afghan civilians, including 8 students that were children, were killed by U.S.-led forces during a military operation in the Narang district of Kunar province. The governor of Kunar province said the foreign military operation was launched without the knowledge of government officials in the province. On December 31, Afghan President Hamid Karzai stated that according to the investigative commission in Kunar, the victims had been shot dead in their homes by foreign soldiers. The headmaster of the school attended by the children has stated that 7 of the children had been handcuffed prior to being shot. The Afghan president called upon ISAF to hand the soldiers that were responsible over to Afghan authorities – ISAF did not respond. December 31, 2009 – At least 8 Afghan villagers were killed by a US airstrike on a house near the provincial capital Lashkar Gah in Helmand province. Two other villagers were also injured by the airstrike.` 2009 UN Report – A UN report issued in February 2010 said that of 346 Afghan children killed in 2009, more than half were killed by NATO forces. See also Civilian casualties in the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) References 2009