Afghan government warns US over 'one-sided' airstrike that killed 18

The Afghan government has hit out at the US for failing to consult with local forces ahead of an airstrike that killed 18 civilians, suggesting future such raids would be viewed as a breach of its pact with Washington.

An investigation into Wednesday's night-time raid found that it was the result of "a one-sided decision, and not co-ordinated with Afghan security forces", President Hamid Karzai's spokesman Aimal Faiz said.

He went on to suggest that a repeat of the unilateral strike would be seen as a violation of a pact between the two countries over who takes the lead in "special operations" in the country.

Signed in April, the agreement puts the Afghan government in charge of such manoeuvres – a move designed to resolve some of the longstanding tensions between the two countries.

The fallout from the deadly strike – alongside news Saturday that four French soldiers in Afghanistan were killed by a suicide bomber wearing a burqa – have reaffirmed fears that Nato's exit strategy will be far from orderly.

As part of the transition of power, more agreements are expected to be signed handing responsibility for security matters to Afghan forces.

But investigators looking into the circumstances surrounding the latest loss of civilian life in an airborne attack concluded that the call was made by US authorities alone.

Wednesday's raid took place at a village in the Logar province in which militants were believed to be hiding.

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