British Apache helicopter injures children in Afghanistan

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

Five Afghan children have been injured, some seriously, by cannon fire from a British Apache helicopter, according to UK defence officials.

It is believed they were hit by stray bullets during an intended attack on an insurgent as they worked in a field in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand province, on Saturday.

The children were taken to Camp Bastion, the main British base in Helmand, for treatment, the Ministry of Defence said.

Officials are investigating the incident which is likely to focus on the accuracy of the Apache's cannon and the speed with which they fire.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/25/nato-apache-helicopter-children-afghanistan

[Poll_Blind]

1. Bullets are sort of a misnomer. The 20mm rounds from an Apache turn people into red mist.

I've held a 20mm round in my hand before and it's...it's really a small cannon shell. I hope the kids recover, physically and psychologically.

PB

[atreides1]

3. Vulcan

Once saw a demonstration of a Vulcan AAA gun...it turned the targets into so much twisted metal...imagine what it can do to a human body?

[ixion]

2. It's okay, though, because the US did it, not the Taliban

:sarcasm:

See, when they kill and/or maim, it's heinous, murderous terror. When we kill and/or maim, it's "unfortunate".

[atreides1]

4. Unfortunate

Or as the military likes to state, "collateral damage"!!!