US general says Afghan forces called in air strike on Kunduz hospital
The top US commander in Afghanistan has said that the deadly US air strike on a Doctors Without Borders hospital in the northern city of Kunduz was carried out at the request of Afghan forces.
The US military had previously said that American troops were under Taliban fire and had called in the strike on October 3. It termed the hospital as "collateral damage."
"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 air forces," General John Campbell told reporters on Monday.
"An air strike was then called to eliminate the Taliban threat and several civilians were accidentally struck," he said.
The bombing, which killed 22 civilians, has prompted outrage around the world.
Gen. Campbell said the request was made to US Special Forces advising and assisting Afghan Security Forces.
US President Barack Obama said Saturday the Pentagon launched a "full investigation" into the deadly air strike.
Campbell said three investigations are underway and “if errors were committed, we'll acknowledge them. We'll hold those responsible accountable and we will take steps to ensure mistakes are not repeated.”
The medical aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF), however, has called for an independent inquiry "under the clear presumption that a war crime has been committed."
"Relying only on an internal investigation by a party to the conflict would be wholly insufficient," MSF General Director Christopher Stokes said in a statement on Monday.
The charity said that despite frantic calls to military officials in Kabul and Washington, the hospital’s main building was "repeatedly” struck for more than an hour.
The aid group has closed its trauma center at the hospital.
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