"The killing of large numbers of civilians by American forces, through indiscipline or heavy reliance on air strikes, has marked the campaigns in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Since March there have been five episodes in which Western troops have been accused of killing Afghan civilians. Between April 27th and 29th, for example, an operation by special forces in Herat province led to the deaths of at least 49 civilians and the displacement of 1,600 families, according to UN investigators. On May 9th, the day after Colonel Nicholson's apology, the pro-American governor of Helmand province said 21 civilians had been killed in air strikes there.