United Nations, Rabi'II 20, 1433, Mar 13, 2012, SPA - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday expressed regret and shock at the “inexplicable” massacre of 16 Afghan villagers by a U.S. soldier, but she said the incident does not change Washington’s “steadfast commitment to protecting the Afghan people.” “I was shocked and saddened by the killings of innocent Afghan villagers,” Clinton said after a U.N. Security Council meeting. “This is not who we are, and the United States is committed to seeing that those responsible are held accountable.” “We recognize that an incident like this is inexplicable and will certainly cause many questions to be asked,” Clinton told reporters, but it “does not change our steadfast dedication to protecting the Afghan people and to doing everything we can to help build a strong and stable Afghanistan.” The U.S. soldier, an Army staff sergeant, allegedly killed 16 Afghans, including nine children, in southern Kandahar province. --SPA 11:39 LOCAL TIME 08:39 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/979057