KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The new U.S. commander of troops in Afghanistan has issued a directive that they should defend themselves, but also should safeguard Afghan civilian lives.
The directive is the first by the new U.S. commander of Western forces in Afghanistan, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.
Some had complained his predecessor, Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, recently fired by President Obama, had issued battlefield rules that tied the hands of troops involved in conflicts for fear of injuring civilians.
Civilian casualties are a painful point between North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the paper reported.
Unidentified U.S. military officials said the directive includes "refinements" to previous rules of engagement on the use of artillery fire and aerial bombardment, the paper said. UPI
