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| Kunduz bombing: US attacked MSF clinic 'in error' | Kunduz bombing: US attacked MSF clinic 'in error' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A US aircraft attacked a Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) clinic in the Afghan city of Kunduz because of "human error", a US military inquiry said. | A US aircraft attacked a Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) clinic in the Afghan city of Kunduz because of "human error", a US military inquiry said. |
| The investigation found that the crew of the AC-130 gunship mistook the clinic for a nearby government building that had been seized by Taliban. | The investigation found that the crew of the AC-130 gunship mistook the clinic for a nearby government building that had been seized by Taliban. |
| At least 30 civilians were killed in the 3 October attack, amid a campaign to retake Kunduz from Taliban forces. | At least 30 civilians were killed in the 3 October attack, amid a campaign to retake Kunduz from Taliban forces. |
| MSF described the attack as a war crime and demanded a thorough investigation. | MSF described the attack as a war crime and demanded a thorough investigation. |
| The medical charity also disputed initial US justifications for the attack, which suggested US forces had struck near the hospital because they had come under fire in the area. | The medical charity also disputed initial US justifications for the attack, which suggested US forces had struck near the hospital because they had come under fire in the area. |
| The US military later admitted that the strike was a mistake and launched an investigation. | The US military later admitted that the strike was a mistake and launched an investigation. |
| On Wednesday, the US commander in Afghanistan, Gen John Campbell, said that the crew of the AC-130 plane believed it was a government compound, the NDS (or National Directorate of Security), which had been taken over by Taliban militants. | |
| In depth: | In depth: |
| The aircraft identified the building based on a visual description provided by Afghan forces, he said, and did not refer to coordinates provided by MSF for inclusion on a "no-strike list". | The aircraft identified the building based on a visual description provided by Afghan forces, he said, and did not refer to coordinates provided by MSF for inclusion on a "no-strike list". |
| "Tragically this misidentification continued throughout the remainder of the operation, even though there were some contradictory indicators," he said. | "Tragically this misidentification continued throughout the remainder of the operation, even though there were some contradictory indicators," he said. |
| "This was a tragic mistake. US forces would never intentionally strike a hospital or other protected facilities." | "This was a tragic mistake. US forces would never intentionally strike a hospital or other protected facilities." |
| The gunship fired 211 shells at the MSF compound over 25 minutes, the US military said. | The gunship fired 211 shells at the MSF compound over 25 minutes, the US military said. |
| Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday described the incident as a "painful demonstration of the cost of war". | |
| "Such mistakes can and should be avoided," he said in a statement. | |
| "But it is also a painful demonstration of the cost of war being brought upon us by terrorist groups and enemies of Afghanistan," he said, adding that the US investigation "will enable the authorities to learn from the mistakes and hold people accountable". | |
| An MSF report released earlier this month said its staff contacted US-led forces several times during the attack, saying they were being bombed. | An MSF report released earlier this month said its staff contacted US-led forces several times during the attack, saying they were being bombed. |
| The general said the US investigation had found that the attack on the hospital was "the direct result of avoidable human error, compounded by process and equipment failures". | The general said the US investigation had found that the attack on the hospital was "the direct result of avoidable human error, compounded by process and equipment failures". |
| He said other factors that contributed to the mistake included: | He said other factors that contributed to the mistake included: |
| The US military said the troops involved in the attack had been suspended, and were awaiting disciplinary action. | The US military said the troops involved in the attack had been suspended, and were awaiting disciplinary action. |
| MSF has yet to comment on the US military investigation. | MSF has yet to comment on the US military investigation. |
| Differing US statements on hospital strike | |
| Saturday 3 October - Col Brian Tribus, spokesman for US Forces in Afghan | |
| US forces conducted an airstrike in Kunduz city at 2:15am (local), Oct 3, against individuals threatening the force. The strike may have resulted in collateral damage to a nearby medical facility. This incident is under investigation. | |
| Sunday 4 October - Pentagon press office | |
| US forces conducted an airstrike in Kunduz city at 2:15am (local), Oct 3, against insurgents who were directly firing upon US service members advising and assisting Afghan Security Forces in the city of Kunduz. The strike was conducted in the vicinity of a Doctors Without Borders medical facility. | |
| Monday 5 October - Gen John Campbell, US military chief in Afghanistan | |
| We have now learned that on October 3, Afghan forces advised that they were taking fire from enemy positions and asked for air support from US forces. An airstrike was then called to eliminate the Taliban threat and several civilians were accidentally struck. This is different from the initial reports, which indicated that US forces were threatened and that the airstrike was called on their behalf. | |
| Tuesday 6 October - Gen John Campbell to the Senate committee | |
| On Saturday morning our forces provided close air support to Afghan forces at their request. To be clear the decision to provide aerial fires was a US decision, made within the US chain of command. A hospital was mistakenly struck. We would never intentionally target a protected medical facility… I assure you that the investigation will be thorough, objective and transparent. | |
| Wednesday 25 November - Gen John Campbell statement | |
| The US strike upon the MSF Trauma Centre in Kunduz... was the direct result of human error, compounded by systems and procedural failures. The US forces directly involved in this incident did not know the targeted compound was the MSF Trauma Centre. The medical facility was misidentified as a target by US personnel who believed they were striking a different building several hundred meters away where there were reports of combatants. |