An investigation into the United States air strike against a MSF (Doctors Without Borders) hospital in Afghanistan last month found the incident was due to "avoidable human error".
Addressing journalists in Washington on Wednesday, the senior US General John Campbell reiterated the "US forces would never intentionally (strike) a hospital."
"The report determined that the US strike upon the MSF trauma centre in Kunduz city, Afghanistan, was a direct result of human error, compounded by systems and procedural failures," General Campbell said.
"US forces directly involved in this incident did not know the target compound was the MSF trauma centre. The medical facility was mis-identified as a target," he added.
"The report also determined that the personnel who requested the strike and those who executed it in the air, did not undertake the appropriate measures to verify that the facility was a legitimate military target."
The military officers significantly associated with the attack have been suspended.
The air strike, which was described by MSF as a war crime, left at least 30 dead, including doctors and nurses.
See here, here and here.
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Addressing journalists in Washington on Wednesday, the senior US General John Campbell reiterated the "US forces would never intentionally (strike) a hospital."
"The report determined that the US strike upon the MSF trauma centre in Kunduz city, Afghanistan, was a direct result of human error, compounded by systems and procedural failures," General Campbell said.
"US forces directly involved in this incident did not know the target compound was the MSF trauma centre. The medical facility was mis-identified as a target," he added.
"The report also determined that the personnel who requested the strike and those who executed it in the air, did not undertake the appropriate measures to verify that the facility was a legitimate military target."
The military officers significantly associated with the attack have been suspended.
The air strike, which was described by MSF as a war crime, left at least 30 dead, including doctors and nurses.
See here, here and here.
Related articles:
US to pay reparations to families of Kunduz airstrike victims (11 Oct 2015)
Obama apologises for US bombing of Afghan hospital (08 Oct 2015)
Pentagon takes responsibility for Afghan hospital strike, seeks accountability (06 Oct 2015)
MSF demands independent inquiry into hospital attack (04 Oct 2015)
US bombing of Kunduz hospital may be war crime - UN human rights chief (03 Oct 2015)