Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: Some senators on Tuesday strongly condemned Monday’s airstrike by American forces on an Afghan National Army (ANA) outpost in central Logar province, calling it intentional and demanded the perpetrators’ prosecution.
Local officials said eight ANA troops were killed and another half a dozen were wounded in the early morning airstrike involving two US helicopters in the Baraki Barak district.
President Ashraf Ghani, expressing his deep concern over the incident, appointed a delegation to investigate the incident. Ghani insisted foreign troops should exercise utmost care during their operations to avoid harming Afghan forces and civilians.
The US forces in Afghanistan said in a statement that they had initiated an investigation into the incident. “We deeply regret the loss of Afghan National Army soldiers in this incident.”
Some Meshrano Jirga or upper house of parliament members condemned the incident during Tuesday’s general session and called for the perpetrators to be punished.
Chairman Fazl Hadi Muslimyar said the incident was forgivable had it occurred on the battlefield, but it hit a permanent outpost hoisting the national flag.
“American forces had also come under insider attacks, but the Americans had killed them instantly. We want the same reaction,” he remarked.
First deputy chairman Mohammad Alam Ezedyar said the reason behind the incident, the third of its kind, was not clear as yet. He added the latest incident should be thoroughly investigated.
Senator Saifullah Hashmi said it was an unacceptable excuse that the incident was a mistake. “The Americans martyr our troops on Eid, which is strongly condemnable and they should be held accountable for that.”
He wondered how could the US forces missed a target and mistakenly hit Afghan forces with their advanced technology.
Another senator Nisar Ahmad Haris said there was no difference between the Taliban, Daesh and the Americans when it came to killing Afghan soldiers.
He said it was not an attack that could be called a mistake, but the Americans regarded the Afghan blood as cheap and then extended mere apologies.
“If an American had got killed, today there would have been protests in America. But here the Americans only express their regret,” he added.
Senator Syed Ahmad Akhundzada called the attack on the Afghan army outpost as intentional and an insult to Islam.
“The Americans have no good intentions here. The bilateral security agreement excepts them from prosecution,” said Maulvi Muhiuddin Munsif, another lawmaker.
Munsif called the incident a war crime, urging the international community and the UN to prosecute its perpetrators. (PAN)
