U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday the United States “deeply” regrets the deaths of Afghan civilians as a result of a U.S. bombing and will fully review the incident. Opening a meeting with the visiting presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan at the State Department, Clinton said “any loss of innocent life is particularly painful.” Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who earlier Wednesday ordered an investigation into allegations by local officials that more than 30 civilians were killed by U.S.-led soldiers fighting militants in western Afghanistan, thanked Clinton for “showing concern and regret” and said “we hope we can work together to completely reduce civilian casualties in the struggle against terrorism.”
