U.S. Defends Airstrike on Afghan Village

The U.S. military on Wednesday defended an airstrike earlier this week on a southern Afghan village that killed at least 16 civilians, saying its troops were being fired on and they had the right to defend themselves.
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U.S. military spokesman Col. Tom Collins also apologized to the families of the victims of the assault late Sunday and early Monday, saying "we never wanted this to happen." He said the coalition has offered assistance to the families, but didn't disclose any details.
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