US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, condemned this weeks airstrike by Afghan forces and said in a tweet early Thursday morning that the incident needs to be investigated.
In his tweet, Khalilzad said: The last 24 hours have been very violent in Afghanistan with many losing their lives.
In Herat, photos and eyewitness accounts suggest many civilians including children are among the victims of an Afghan airstrike. We condemn the attack and support an investigation.
He stated that the Afghan people want an immediate start of peace negotiations and a settlement that is in their best interest.
More graves will not bring negotiations forward, he said.
Khalilzad went on to say that rather than setting the process back, we urge all sides to contain the violence, protect civilians, and show necessary restraint as the start of intra-Afghan negotiations is so close.
Khalilzads comments were in response to an air raid in the Adraskan district of Herat Province that killed at least 40 people.
Officials have said key Taliban members were targeted in the raid but reports have since emerged that civilians were also among the dead.
Afghanistans defense ministry said it was investigating allegations of civilian casualties in attacks by Afghan forces in the area.
