This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/oct/03/msf-staff-killed-in-suspected-us-strike-on-afghan-hospital-latest
The article has changed 26 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| MSF staff killed in suspected US strike on Afghan hospital - latest | MSF staff killed in suspected US strike on Afghan hospital - latest |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 9.00am BST09:00 | |
| Sune Engel Rasmussen, reporting for the Guardian from Afghanistan, has this update: | |
| Police spokesman Sarwar Husaini said the area surrounding the MSF facilities was under Taliban control, and that there was heavy fighting going on throughout Friday night. He confirmed that the aircraft, which launched the airstrike around 2am belonged to “the foreigners”. | |
| The US military said they had conducted 12 airstrikes in and around Kunduz since Sept 29th, assisting the Afghan forces in recapturing the city from the Taliban. | |
| “The majority of the airstrikes have taken place on the outskirts of the city and in the vicinity of the airport. This is the second airstrike that has been against individuals threatening the force within Kunduz city,” said Susan Harrington, a spokesperson. | |
| 8.43am BST08:43 | |
| Surgery is continuing in the undamaged section of the hospital in Kunduz, MSF said. | |
| Since fighting broke out on Monday, MSF had treated 394 wounded in Kunduz. When the aerial attack occurred Saturday morning, there were 105 patients with relatives, as well as over 80 MSF international and national staff present, the group said in its statement. | |
| Surgery this morning in undamaged section of #Kunduz hospital #Afghanistan in aftermath of bombing; OTs destroyed pic.twitter.com/IQIzN7SDXi | |
| 8.41am BST08:41 | |
| The bombing comes after the Afghan government on Thursday claimed they had regained control of Kunduz, after the Taliban seized the key city in northern Afghanistan on Monday. | |
| However, fighting has since endured in pockets around the city, and in surrounding districts, with both sides claiming to be in control. | |
| #AFG Residents Kundoz,a number of buildings&homes taken by groups of TB with suicide vests.Civilians inside those homes inclu women&children | |
| The capture of Kunduz marked the first time since 2001 the Taliban breach an urban area. | |
| 8.33am BST08:33 | 8.33am BST08:33 |
| Dr Bart Janssens, director of operations at MSF, told the Today programme on Radio 4: | Dr Bart Janssens, director of operations at MSF, told the Today programme on Radio 4: |
| We only know that there was a horrific bombing that started around 2am and continued for a long time. We are still debriefing our teams to get more information. The hospital was extremely badly damaged and burned. Three people have died but we are very fearful for the fate of more than 30 people still missing. | We only know that there was a horrific bombing that started around 2am and continued for a long time. We are still debriefing our teams to get more information. The hospital was extremely badly damaged and burned. Three people have died but we are very fearful for the fate of more than 30 people still missing. |
| Our main concern is to get the survivors, alive, out of the very complicated area. It is clear that the hospital has been hit several times by large explosions and we still have no full confirmation on whether it was an aerial or ground attack. | Our main concern is to get the survivors, alive, out of the very complicated area. It is clear that the hospital has been hit several times by large explosions and we still have no full confirmation on whether it was an aerial or ground attack. |
| This hospital was very well known. It was the only functional hospital in Kunduz since the fighting had begun and we have shared extensively the locations of this hospital with all warring parties in Afghanistan. There is no doubt this place was known as a hospital. | This hospital was very well known. It was the only functional hospital in Kunduz since the fighting had begun and we have shared extensively the locations of this hospital with all warring parties in Afghanistan. There is no doubt this place was known as a hospital. |
| 8.22am BST08:22 | 8.22am BST08:22 |
| MSF, which has operated in the Afghan city since fighting broke out between government and Taliban forces, has tweeted the following: | MSF, which has operated in the Afghan city since fighting broke out between government and Taliban forces, has tweeted the following: |
| 1/2: #MSF shocked by bombing of MSF hospital in #Kunduz. Staff, patients killed. http://t.co/5nAAocsEBT | 1/2: #MSF shocked by bombing of MSF hospital in #Kunduz. Staff, patients killed. http://t.co/5nAAocsEBT |
| 2/2: All fighting parties must respect healthcare facilities. #MSF trauma center in Kunduz only facility of its kind in northern Afghanistan | 2/2: All fighting parties must respect healthcare facilities. #MSF trauma center in Kunduz only facility of its kind in northern Afghanistan |
| #MSF #Kunduz trauma center aflame after aerial attack this morn. Staff tending to patients, each other, in aftermath pic.twitter.com/o6toDwivym | #MSF #Kunduz trauma center aflame after aerial attack this morn. Staff tending to patients, each other, in aftermath pic.twitter.com/o6toDwivym |
| 8.20am BST08:20 | 8.20am BST08:20 |
| A spokesman for the US military admitted they might be responsible for the air strike, which killed at least three people at a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Afghanistan. | A spokesman for the US military admitted they might be responsible for the air strike, which killed at least three people at a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Afghanistan. |
| Colonel Brian Tribus, spokesman for international forces in Afghanistan, said: “US forces conducted an airstrike in Kunduz city at 2:15am (local), 3 October, against individuals threatening the force. | Colonel Brian Tribus, spokesman for international forces in Afghanistan, said: “US forces conducted an airstrike in Kunduz city at 2:15am (local), 3 October, against individuals threatening the force. |
| “The strike may have resulted in collateral damage to a nearby medical facility. This incident is under investigation.” | “The strike may have resulted in collateral damage to a nearby medical facility. This incident is under investigation.” |
| The bombardment apparently followed heavy fighting around the hospital. An MSF staff member, who was on duty at the time, told the Guardian: “I was inside my office. Around 2am, the plane started bombing the main building of MSF. It lasted one-and-a-half hours. After 3.30am, I came out from my office and saw all of the hospital was on fire,” the staff member said. | The bombardment apparently followed heavy fighting around the hospital. An MSF staff member, who was on duty at the time, told the Guardian: “I was inside my office. Around 2am, the plane started bombing the main building of MSF. It lasted one-and-a-half hours. After 3.30am, I came out from my office and saw all of the hospital was on fire,” the staff member said. |
| “We couldn’t save our doctors, our nurses, our cleaners, our friends. They burned inside the hospital. We couldn’t save our brothers and friends,” the staff member said, asking to remain anonymous. | “We couldn’t save our doctors, our nurses, our cleaners, our friends. They burned inside the hospital. We couldn’t save our brothers and friends,” the staff member said, asking to remain anonymous. |
| 8.08am BST08:08 | 8.08am BST08:08 |
| Good morning. News is breaking that a US airstrike appears to have hit a hospital run by Médecins Sans Frontières in the Afghan city of Kunduz. | Good morning. News is breaking that a US airstrike appears to have hit a hospital run by Médecins Sans Frontières in the Afghan city of Kunduz. |
| The charity said its hospital in the war-torn northern city was bombed and badly damaged by an aerial attack that killed at least three staff members. | The charity said its hospital in the war-torn northern city was bombed and badly damaged by an aerial attack that killed at least three staff members. |
| At the time of the bombing, 105 patients and their carers, and more than 80 MSF international and national staff were in the hospital, the charity said. | At the time of the bombing, 105 patients and their carers, and more than 80 MSF international and national staff were in the hospital, the charity said. |
| Thirty staff were still unaccounted for and officials have said the death toll could climb. We will keep you up to date with all the latest developments here throughout the day. | Thirty staff were still unaccounted for and officials have said the death toll could climb. We will keep you up to date with all the latest developments here throughout the day. |
| Updated at 8.17am BST | Updated at 8.17am BST |