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Airstrike Hits Afghan Hospital, Killing at Least 9 Airstrike Hits Doctors Without Borders Hospital in Afghanistan
(about 2 hours later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — A United States airstrike appears to have badly damaged the hospital run by Doctors Without Borders in the Afghan city of Kunduz early Saturday, killing at least nine hospital staff members and wounding dozens, including patients and staff. KABUL, Afghanistan — A United States airstrike appeared to have badly damaged a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders in the Afghan city of Kunduz early Saturday, killing at least nine hospital staff members and wounding dozens, including patients and staff.
The United States military, in a statement, confirmed the 2:15 a.m. airstrike, saying it had been targeting individuals “who were threatening the force” and that “there may have been collateral damage to a nearby medical facility.” The United States military, in a statement, confirmed the 2:15 a.m. airstrike, saying that it had been targeting individuals “who were threatening the force” and that “there may have been collateral damage to a nearby medical facility.”
Accounts differed as to whether there had been fighting around the hospital that might have precipitated the strike. Two hospital employees, an aide who was wounded in the bombing and a nurse who emerged unscathed, said that there had been no active fighting nearby and no Taliban fighters inside the hospital.Accounts differed as to whether there had been fighting around the hospital that might have precipitated the strike. Two hospital employees, an aide who was wounded in the bombing and a nurse who emerged unscathed, said that there had been no active fighting nearby and no Taliban fighters inside the hospital.
But a Kunduz police spokesman, Sayed Sarwar Hussaini, insisted that Taliban fighters had entered the hospital and were using it as a firing position. A Kunduz police spokesman, Sayed Sarwar Hussaini, insisted that Taliban fighters had entered the hospital and were using it as a firing position.
The hospital treated the wounded from all sides of the conflict, a policy that has long irked the Afghan security forces.The hospital treated the wounded from all sides of the conflict, a policy that has long irked the Afghan security forces.
Video posted Saturday morning of the hospital grounds showed fires still burning, blackened walls, and, in one building, a collapsed ceiling. One side of one building appeared to be pockmarked by bullets or possibly shrapnel, suggesting that there could have been fighting there. But it was impossible to tell whether the marks were new or not.Video posted Saturday morning of the hospital grounds showed fires still burning, blackened walls, and, in one building, a collapsed ceiling. One side of one building appeared to be pockmarked by bullets or possibly shrapnel, suggesting that there could have been fighting there. But it was impossible to tell whether the marks were new or not.
Doctors Without Borders said at least nine members of its staff had been killed and 30 were missing. It described the facility as “very badly damaged.” Doctors Without Borders said at least nine members of its staff had been killed and 37 wounded, 19 of them hospital staff members. It described the hospital as “very badly damaged.”
In a statement, the aid group accused the American military of continuing the bombing for 30 minutes after receiving phone calls telling military contacts that the hospital was being bombed. In a statement, the aid group, also known by its French name, Médecins Sans Frontières, or M.S.F., accused the American military of continuing the bombing for 30 minutes after receiving phone calls telling military contacts that the hospital was being bombed. “All parties to the conflict including in Kabul and Washington, were clearly informed of the precise location [GPS Coordinates] of the M.S.F. facilities – hospital, guesthouse, office,” the statement said.
“All parties to the conflict including in Kabul and Washington, were clearly informed of the precise location [GPS Coordinates] of the MSF facilities – hospital, guesthouse, office,” the statement said. “MSF urgently seeks clarity on exactly what took place and how this terrible event could have happened,” the group added. “M.S.F. urgently seeks clarity on exactly what took place and how this terrible event could have happened,” the group added.
A military spokeswoman in Kabul, Susan Harrington, said that because the investigation was still underway, it was not possible to comment .
The nurse, who asked not to be identified because he had instructions not to speak to reporters, said that two other nurses at the hospital had been killed by severe burns from the fires set off by the bombs. “Most of my colleagues died in the fire after the bombing,” he said.The nurse, who asked not to be identified because he had instructions not to speak to reporters, said that two other nurses at the hospital had been killed by severe burns from the fires set off by the bombs. “Most of my colleagues died in the fire after the bombing,” he said.
“When the bombing occurred, we were treating patients; then we lost our way, everyone stumbled and fumbled to escape,” the nurse said. “I don’t even remember how I got out.”“When the bombing occurred, we were treating patients; then we lost our way, everyone stumbled and fumbled to escape,” the nurse said. “I don’t even remember how I got out.”
Doctors Without Borders said 105 patients and caretakers had been at the hospital, along with 80 staff members. The hospital was “partially destroyed” in the bombing, the group said, adding that it had been “hit several times.”Doctors Without Borders said 105 patients and caretakers had been at the hospital, along with 80 staff members. The hospital was “partially destroyed” in the bombing, the group said, adding that it had been “hit several times.”
An airstrike from a fixed-wing aircraft can include more than one bomb directed at the same target. Similarly, if an attack is carried out by helicopters, soldiers may fire multiple rounds at a single target. The Afghan Army has been using helicopters to attack targets in Kunduz, and it was not yet clear whether its aircraft had been involved in the overnight attack. An airstrike from a fixed-wing aircraft can include more than one bomb directed at the same target. Similarly, if an attack is carried out by helicopters, soldiers may fire multiple rounds at a single target. The Afghan Army has been using helicopters to attack targets in Kunduz, and a spokesman for the Afghan army brigade in Kunduz, Ghulam Hazrat, said Afghan helicopters were “maneuvering and targeting enemies last night.”
The director of public health for Kunduz Province, Saad Mukhtar, said that about 40 to 50 wounded patients had been rescued and taken to the regional hospital, which is also in the city of Kunduz.The director of public health for Kunduz Province, Saad Mukhtar, said that about 40 to 50 wounded patients had been rescued and taken to the regional hospital, which is also in the city of Kunduz.
The International Committee of the Red Cross also condemned the bombing. The International Committee of the Red Cross condemned the bombing.
“This is an appalling tragedy. Such attacks against health workers and facilities undermine the capacity of humanitarian organizations to assist the Afghan people at a time when they most urgently need it,”said Jean-Nicolas Marti, the head of the organization’s delegation in Afghanistan. “This is an appalling tragedy,” said Jean-Nicolas Marti, the head of the organization’s delegation in Afghanistan. “Such attacks against health workers and facilities undermine the capacity of humanitarian organizations to assist the Afghan people at a time when they most urgently need it.”
Kunduz has been the scene of heavy fighting since Thursday, when Afghan government security forces began a counterattack on the Taliban, which captured the city on Monday.Kunduz has been the scene of heavy fighting since Thursday, when Afghan government security forces began a counterattack on the Taliban, which captured the city on Monday.
A resident who lives near the hospital, and who spoke to staff members there, said that smoke was still rising from the wreckage hours after the strike. He said the bombing had been heavy, and that it was possible that more than one bomb had been dropped.
Among the dead was the Afghan head of the hospital, Abdul Sattar, the resident said. Both foreign and Afghan staff worked there.Among the dead was the Afghan head of the hospital, Abdul Sattar, the resident said. Both foreign and Afghan staff worked there.
Although the hospital was overwhelmed in recent days by civilians wounded in the fighting, and was running short of supplies, staff members continued to work. Early on, the Taliban had respected the hospital’s request not to bring weapons inside, according to staff members, and the hospital had been a refuge in the shattered city of Kunduz.Although the hospital was overwhelmed in recent days by civilians wounded in the fighting, and was running short of supplies, staff members continued to work. Early on, the Taliban had respected the hospital’s request not to bring weapons inside, according to staff members, and the hospital had been a refuge in the shattered city of Kunduz.
The United States began dropping bombs on the Kunduz area on Tuesday in an effort to aid Afghan forces fighting the Taliban.The United States began dropping bombs on the Kunduz area on Tuesday in an effort to aid Afghan forces fighting the Taliban.
The civilian deaths in the Saturday airstrike, and the discrepancies in the accounts of what led to the bombing, were a painful reminder of a pattern that played out again and again in the years before the United States scaled back its role in Afghanistan, as U.S. aircraft trying to strike the Taliban mistakenly hit civilians, frequently killing women, children and the elderly. The civilian deaths in the Saturday airstrike, and the discrepancies in the accounts of what led to the bombing, were a painful reminder of a pattern that played out again and again in the years before the United States scaled back its role in Afghanistan, as American aircraft trying to strike the Taliban mistakenly hit civilians, frequently killing women, children and the elderly.
Although such mistakes have accounted for a small fraction of civilian deaths in the war, each one has taken on magnified significance in the eyes of many Afghans, because it is the fault of a foreign power. That has done much to alienate the Afghan population, which in turn has hurt the U.S.-led forces and their Afghan government allies. Although such mistakes have accounted for a small fraction of civilian deaths in the war, each one has taken on magnified significance in the eyes of many Afghans, because it is the fault of a foreign power. That has done much to alienate the Afghan population, which in turn has hurt the American-led forces and their Afghan government allies.
Civilian casualties from coalition airstrikes have also engendered support for the insurgency. Whatever the Taliban’s atrocities, and there certainly have been many of them, the insurgents do not have aircraft and the devastating capability to kill from above. Nonetheless, in the first half of 2015, the Taliban and other antigovernment forces were responsible for 70 percent of civilian casualties. Civilian casualties from coalition airstrikes have also engendered support for the insurgency. Whatever the Taliban’s atrocities, and there certainly have been many of them, the insurgents do not have aircraft and the devastating capacity to kill from above. Nonetheless, in the first half of 2015, a United Nations report says, the Taliban and other antigovernment forces were responsible for 70 percent of civilian casualties.
In 2012, after years of U.S. strikes that hit wedding parties, villages filled with women and children, and even, in 2011, nine young boys gathering firewood on a mountainside in Kunduz Province, the U.S. military reached an agreement with then-President Hamid Karzai to sharply limit the circumstances in which air support was used, and to avoid population centers and Afghan homes almost entirely. In 2012, after years of American strikes that hit wedding parties, villages filled with women and children, and even, in 2011, nine young boys gathering firewood on a mountainside in Kunduz Province, the American military reached an agreement with Hamid Karzai, then the president, to sharply limit the circumstances in which air support was used, and to avoid population centers and Afghan homes almost entirely.
At the time, exceptions were allowed for extraordinary circumstances, for instance, when Afghan government forces requested help. It was unclear whether those rules remained in place. However, the United States military was careful to note today that it has only dropped two bombs in the city of Kunduz since the city fell to the Taliban: one airstrike took place earlier this week, and the second apparently struck the hospital Saturday. At the time, exceptions were allowed for extraordinary circumstances, for instance, when Afghan government forces requested help. It was unclear whether those rules remained in place. However, the United States military was careful to say on Saturday that it had dropped only two bombs in Kunduz since the city fell to the Taliban: one airstrike took place earlier this week, and the second apparently struck the hospital on Saturday.
The United Nations says that 19,368 civilians have been killed in fighting in Afghanistan since 2009, when the world body began to keep detailed statistics. Nearly 33,300 have been wounded.The United Nations says that 19,368 civilians have been killed in fighting in Afghanistan since 2009, when the world body began to keep detailed statistics. Nearly 33,300 have been wounded.