AFGHANISTAN: US relatives show solidarity with war victims

US relatives of victims of the September 11 terrorist strikes delivered compensation claims to US officials in Kabul on January 22 on behalf of Afghan civilians who have lost family members or homes in Washington's bombing of Afghanistan.

Agence France-Presse reported that four relatives were concluding an eight-day visit to Afghanistan. Kelly Campbell, whose brother-in-law Craig Amundson was killed in the Pentagon attack, said the group met dozens of Afghan victims.

"We've met with people who have lost their loved ones to the US bombing, we've met children who've lost limbs to US cluster bombs, people whose homes were destroyed, who have no income, nowhere to go ... and do not know what to do next", she told reporters. "The United States government needs to take responsibility for the direct effect on these people's lives", she added.

"We have looked at pictures of their families, they have looked at pictures of ours, we have talked with them, we feel the same grief, but they have nothing."

Among those making a claim was Harafa Ahmad, who lost eight members of her family when her home was hit by a US bomb on November 7.

From Green Left Weekly, January 30, 2002.

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From GLW issue 478