USA forces on the ground then called for air support, senior officials said.
Advertisement
The Pentagon said Monday Afghan forces had asked for USA airstrikes which may have killed 22 civilians over the weekend in Kunduz, Afghanistan, amid outcry for an independent investigation into the incident. “We will hold those responsible accountable, and we will take steps to ensure mistakes are not repeated”, Campbell said.
The attack on the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders hospital took place Saturday, leaving 12 staff members and 10 patients dead.
A Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan was struck accidentally after Afghan forces called for air support from the American military, the commander of USA forces in Afghanistan says.
When he testifies Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Gen. John F. Campbell will be asked whether he thinks President Barack Obama should alter his plan for reducing the US troop presence after 2016 from its current level of about 9,800 to an embassy-based security operation of about 1,000.
Gen Campbell said the strike was carried out from an AC-130 gunship but declined to give further details, including the rules of engagement under which United States forces were operating.
The withdrawal of MSF from Kunduz is a critical blow to local residents, who have few other options for high standard medical care in the area.
Colonel Brian Tribus, a spokesman for the USA forces in Afghanistan, confirmed that U.S. forces were active in the region at the time of the attack and strikes “may have resulted in collateral damage”.
But the revelation is unlikely to mitigate global anger over the US attack. However, they can report to the US and coalition that they are under fire from a location and the USA or coalition partners there can call it in.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has called for a swift, full and transparent investigation into the air strikes on the MSF hospital in Kunduz killing. Relying only on an internal investigation by a party to the conflict would be wholly insufficient.
MSF on Sunday demanded an independent global inquiry, branding the attack a “war crime” and saying a U.S. military probe into the incident was not enough. The Afghan government also vowed to investigate the airstrike. “The bombing in Kunduz continued for more than 30 minutes after American and Afghan military officials in Kabul and Washington were first informed by MSF that its hospital was struck”, MSF said.
Advertisement
“Until we have a few light shed on why this happened under which circumstances, we can not go back”, she said.
