(5 Nov 2008) SHOTLIST
1. Afghan President Hamid Karzai approaches microphones
2. Cutaway of cameraman
3. Wide of news conference
4. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan:
"Our demand is that there be no civilian casualties in Afghanistan. We cannot win the fight against terrorism with airstrikes and battles in Afghanistan's villages. This is our first and main demand, to stop civilian casualties."
5. Cutaway of photographer
6. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan:
"As we speak, there are civilian casualties. There are civilian casualties as a result of airstrikes in Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province. We had civilian casualties a few days ago in Helmand and Wardak. The civilian casualties should be stopped in Afghanistan."
7. Close of hands, journalist writing in notebook
8. Photographer taking pictures
9. Wide of US General David Petraeus getting out of jeep and being received by Afghanistan defence minister General Abdul Rahim Wardak
10. Cutaway of US troops
11. Mid of Petraeus inspecting guard of honour
12. Guard of honour
13. Petraeus entering defence ministry building
14. Cutaway of two Afghan soldiers
15. Petraeus walking up stairs
16. Wide of defence ministry building
STORYLINE:
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has demanded that US President-elect Barack Obama end civilian casualties in his country, after a villager said that US warplanes bombed a wedding party and killed 37 people, including 23 children and 10 women.
Karzai reported the alleged attack during a news conference in Kabul on Wednesday, held to congratulate Obama on his victory.
He applauded Americans for their "courage" in electing Obama.
Obama was elected as the 44th president of the United States, in a historic win against rival candidate John McCain on Tuesday night.
He will take office in January, 2009.
The United States military reacted to Karzai's comments on Wednesday and said it was investigating.
An American spokesman added that "if innocent people were killed in this operation, we apologise and express our condolences."
Abdul Jalil, a villager in Kandahar province, said he was hosting a wedding party on Monday for his niece when Taliban militants fighting US forces took cover near his home.
Jalil says US warplanes later bombed the wedding party, killing 37 people.
The bombing reportedly happened in the remote village of Wech Baghtu in the southern province of Kandahar.
Meanwhile, the US general charged with overseeing the war on militants in Afghanistan and Iraq made an assessment visit to Kabul on Wednesday, a military spokesman said.
The trip was General David Petraeus' first to Afghanistan since he took charge of the US Central Command on October 31, said Colonel Greg Julian, chief US military spokesman in the country.
Petraeus' stop in Afghanistan follows a two-day visit to neighbouring Pakistan, a key US ally.
His visit comes at a time when many indicators suggest Afghanistan is in a downward spiral of violence.
This year has been the deadliest for US troops in the country since the 2001 US-led invasion.
Attacks against Westerners have risen sharply in Kabul, the Afghan capital, over the last month.
During his stay in Afghanistan, Petraeus will meet with Afghan leaders and top US military officials, including US General David McKiernan, head of the NATO-led force.
Though the US now has more troops in Afghanistan than ever - some 32-thousand - McKiernan has requested at least three more brigades to help cover violent areas it now can't reach.
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