By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Gen. David H. Petraeus said on \”Fox News Sunday\” that a joint U.S.-Afghan investigation team looking into the incident addressed the events leading up to the aerial attack targeting Taliban fighters in which an undetermined number of Afghan civilians were killed.

\”The Taliban moved into these villages seeking to extort money from them,\” Petraeus said. The Taliban killed and be-headed three villagers and then attacked the Afghan police. This, the general said, led to the police asking the provincial governor for help from the Afghan National Army and coalition forces.

\”It was in that response that this very significant firefight broke out that ultimately resulted in the dropping of bombs that clearly killed Taliban and some civilians,\” he said. \”It appears the Taliban forced the civilians to stay in the houses from which they were engaging our forces.\”

Preliminary findings by the joint investigation team cite evidence that Taliban fighters may have caused civilian casualties in the villages. According to a statement issued jointly by the Afghan government and U.S. Forces Afghanistan yesterday, investigators interviewed the surgeon and staff of the Farah Hospital and the three doctors on duty the day after the incident. They treated 16 patients — five police and 11 civilians — for flash burns and small lacerations. Afghan doctors said the injuries could have resulted from hand grenades or exploding propane tanks.

\”The local doctors also confirmed that the Taliban were fighting from the roof tops while forcing the locals to remain in their compounds,\” the statement said. \”Locals receiving medical treatment repeated this information to the doctors several times. The doctors also received a call, while the investigators where present, indicating that the Taliban extremists had executed another civilian in the same village.\”

Petraeus said Centcom will conduct a thorough investigation of the May 4 incident, looking for lessons in how to prevent similar events in the future and ensuring the tactical battle doesn\’t impede the strategy.

The Afghan-U.S. statement issued yesterday contained a harsh rebuke of the Taliban\’s tactics.