Merkel warns of "premature judgments" of Afghan airstrike

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Chancellor Angela Merkel has told the German parliament that the government will not accept "premature judgments" on a German-requested airstrike in northern Afghanistan last week. The airstrike may have killed dozens of civilians and has drawn international criticism.

Merkel told lawmakers that "every innocent person who dies in Afghanistan is one too many". She also added that Germany's mission in Afghanistan remains necessary.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said, "I stand for the fact that we don't want to cover anything up but we will not accept premature judgments."

Germany is facing criticism for calling in a US air-strike on two hijacked fuel trucks in Kunduz province. German commanders initially insisted that it appeared only militants were among the dozens killed.

The Afghan Rights Monitor says interviews with 15 villagers indicated that only a dozen gunmen died and about 70 villagers were killed. A spokesman for the provincial government says only five civilians were killed.

Prosecutors in Potsdam, where the German military has its command center, are examining whether they have grounds to open an investigation on the officer who called in the air-strike. This is standard procedure when the German military is involved in incidents abroad.