EU foreign ministers today called an airstrike in Afghanistan on fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban a «tragedy» and «a big mistake» that must be investigated, AP reported. Afghan officials have said about 70 people died in the attack in the northern province of Kunduz, but it was unclear how many were militants and how many were villagers who had rushed to the scene to siphon fuel from the trucks. «This is a big mistake,» French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Stockholm. «It happens everywhere unfortunately, this is one of the cruelties of war and we have to inquire and denounce the responsibility.» The stolen tankers were bombed by a U.S. jet, called in by the German military. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, the host of the two-day talks in Stockholm, said he didn't know exactly what had happened, but suggested an airstrike may not have been the best way to respond. EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner calls the incident «a great, great tragedy» and backed an investigation already started by NATO officials. -- SPA
