U.S. airstrike hits MSF Afghan hospital: At least 16 dead

28 posts / 0 new

Sat, 2015-10-03 10:18

NDPP

NATO Bombs Afghan Hospital: 9 MSF Staff Killed (and vid)

http://www.rt.com/news/317482-afghanistan-kunduz-msf-hospital/

"A hospital in the Afghan city of Kunduz has been hit and partially destroyed in an overnight 'aerial attack' that killed at least nine Medecins Sans Frontieres staff.

NATO has admitted a US airstrike may have covered accidential 'collateral damage'. At the time that the 'aerial attack' occured, there were over 80 personnel, both local and international inside the building.

An official who asked not to be identified, said the first bomb landed at 2:10 AM and MSF staff called NATO officials in Kabul at 2:19 AM, and military officials in Washington a few minutes later.

The bombing continued until 3:13 AM."

Suspected US Airstrike in Kunduz

https://youtu.be/MavcKLwxh64

Issues Pages:

World

Sat, 2015-10-03 12:10

Unionist

[url=http://www.msf.org/article/afghanistan-msf-staff-killed-and-hospital-par... MSF website:[/url]

Quote:

MSF had informed all fighting parties of hospital GPS coordinates

MSF condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific bombing of its hospital in Kunduz full of staff and patients. MSF wishes to clarify that all parties to the conflict, including in Kabul and Washington, were clearly informed of the precise location (GPS Coordinates) of the MSF facilities – hospital, guest-house, office and an outreach stabilization unit in Chardara (to the north-west of Kunduz). As MSF does in all conflict contexts, these precise locations were communicated to all parties on multiple occasions over the past months, including most recently on 29 September.

The bombing continued for more than 30 minutes after American and Afghan military officials in Kabul and Washington were first informed. MSF urgently seeks clarity on exactly what took place and how this terrible event could have happened.

ETA: I don't know why "NATO" is in the thread topic - NATO isn't in Afghanistan as far as I know. It's the U.S. and their puppets. Also, the confirmed death toll has now risen to 16.

Sat, 2015-10-03 12:23

quizzical

IMV it looks like they did it on purpose to get MSF out of the country and other countries the US is bombing

Sat, 2015-10-03 12:48

NDPP

"NATO said a US airstrike 'may have' hit a hospital...There has been an escalation in airstrikes by NATO forces in recent months despite the draw-down..." AFP/Reuters

See also: NATO Afghanistan: Resolution Support

http://www.rs.nato.int

Sat, 2015-10-03 20:22

NDPP

'Inexcusable, Possibly Even Criminal': UN Rights Chief Says Kunduz Bombing May Be War Crime

http://www.rt.com/news/317542-kunduz-hospital-bombing-msf/

"An airstrike on a hospital in the Afghan city of Kunduz that killed at least 19 people is 'utterly tragic, inexcusable and possibly even criminal,' said the UN Human Rights Commissioner for Human Rights, calling for a transparent investigation.

NATO's Secretary General has expressed his condolences to all those affected by the bombing of the hospital in Kunduz."

Sun, 2015-10-04 14:17

Unionist

[url=http://www.msf.org/article/afghanistan-msf-demands-explanations-after-de... demands explanations after deadly airstrikes hit hospital in Kunduz[/url]

Quote:
“Under the clear presumption that a war crime has been committed, MSF demands that a full and transparent investigation into the event be conducted by an independent international body. Relying only on an internal investigation by a party to the conflict would be wholly insufficient.

Not a single member of our staff reported any fighting inside the MSF hospital compound prior to the US airstrike on Saturday morning. The hospital was full of MSF staff, patients and their caretakers. It is 12 MSF staff members and ten patients, including three children, who were killed in the attack.

We reiterate that the main hospital building, where medical personnel were caring for patients, was repeatedly and very precisely hit during each aerial raid, while the rest of the compound was left mostly untouched. We condemn this attack, which constitutes a grave violation of International Humanitarian Law.” – Christopher Stokes, General Director, Médecins Sans Frontières

Tue, 2015-10-06 18:29

Unionist

Took them a few days to admit to war crimes and mass murder. Now it's time to find a scapegoat.

[url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/10/06/how-the-pen... the Pentagon shifted from ‘collateral damage’ to ‘deeply regrets’ on Afghan hospital attack[/url]

Wed, 2015-10-07 18:37

NDPP

Why Is the US Refusing An Independent Investigation If Its Hospital Airstrike Was An 'Accident?'

https://theintercept.com/2015/10/07/why-is-u-s-refusing-an-independent-i...

"In Geneva this morning, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) demanded a formal, independent investigation into the US airstrike on its hospital in Kunduz.

MSF's international president, Dr Joanne Liu emphasized that the need for an 'independent, impartial' investigation is now particularly compelling given what she called the 'inconsistency in the US and Afghan accounts of what happened over the recent days."

Thu, 2015-10-15 15:24

NDPP

US Forces in Afghanistan Knew Kunduz Site Was Hospital - Report

https://www.rt.com/usa/318786-us-analysts-kunduz-hospital/

"The new details suggest 'that the hospital was intentionally targeted,' Meinie Nicolai of MSF told AP by email. 'This would amount to a premeditated massacre,' she added..."

And with a new Obama announcement that US forces will now remain in Afghanistan, expect more of the same.

Sat, 2015-10-17 06:47

#10

NDPP

US Tank Enters MSF Hospital in Afghanistan's Kunduz, 'Destroys Potential Evidence' - Reports

http://www.rt.com/news/318910-tank-msf-hospital-afghanistan/

"...Members of a joint investigation team from the US, NATO and Afghan government were aboard the heavy military vehicle.

'Their unannounced and forced entry damaged property, destroyed potential evidence and caused stress adn fear for the MSF team,' the group said.

NATO's spokesperson in Afghanistan said the incident was being 'reviewed.'"

Our glorious allies

Sat, 2015-10-17 14:27

#11

quizzical

quizzical wrote:
IMV it looks like they did it on purpose to get MSF out of the country and other countries the US is bombing

my point stands

Sun, 2015-10-18 16:35

#12

Paladin1

anyone seen any pictures of the US tank entering that hospital?

The story says "[i]Members of a joint investigation team from the US, NATO and Afghan government were aboard the heavy military vehicle, Reuters reported citing a Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) statement on Thursday."[/i]

The US uses M1A1 tanks which have room for a 4-person crew (Driver, commander, gunner & loader). There isn't seats or room for anyone else inside. A 4-person crew PLUS an investigation team with at least 3 people would be pretty crowded.

The US could easily fake an attack on a hospital and pin the blame on Taliban, ISIS, Russians, whoever. Why would they risk the public backlash by targeting a hospital on purpose and then try and pretend it was an accident when it would be more convienient to place the blame on the Taliban?

Sun, 2015-10-18 19:08

#13

quizzical

maybe they figured there wouldn't be any backlash. and really there's not much.

Sun, 2015-10-18 19:40

#14

Mr. Magoo

There'd be even less, if they'd said that someone else did it.

Sun, 2015-10-18 20:13

#15

quizzical

but then it wouldn't be the implied threat.

Sun, 2015-10-18 20:49

#16

Mr. Magoo

If they blamed it on someone else, the threat wouldn't need to be implied.

Sun, 2015-10-18 21:01

#17

quizzical

but they want it to be implied.

Sun, 2015-10-18 21:05

#18

Bec.De.Corbin Bec.De.Corbin's picture

Paladin1 wrote:

anyone seen any pictures of the US tank entering that hospital?

It's Afghan speak for any armored vehicle; so Afghans would call armored Hummers and MRAPs "tanks".

The US and NATO haven't had real tanks in Afghanistan for quite some time. I believe the Germans had five Leopard 2 tanks there when the German contingent was there. The USA never had any tanks over there.

Sun, 2015-10-18 21:17

#19

Mr. Magoo

Quote:
but they want it to be implied.

How can the implied threat be anyone else if they took ownership of it and apologized for it?

Sun, 2015-10-18 21:23

#20

quizzical

huh?

Mon, 2015-10-19 12:07

#21

Paladin1

Bec.De.Corbin wrote:

Paladin1 wrote:

anyone seen any pictures of the US tank entering that hospital?

It's Afghan speak for any armored vehicle; so Afghans would call armored Hummers and MRAPs "tanks".

The US and NATO haven't had real tanks in Afghanistan for quite some time. I believe the Germans had five Leopard 2 tanks there when the German contingent was there. The USA never had any tanks over there.

That makes sense thank you.

It still seems weird there is no pictures of videos of the armored vehicle busting into the hospital. There is no shortage of cell phones in Afghanistan.

Mon, 2015-10-26 22:11

#22

Unionist

The bastards are now saying, "We knew it was a hospital, but we thought it was being run by the bad guys."

[url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HOSPITAL_ATTACK?CTIME=2015-10-... Associated Press:[/url]

Quote:

The Army Green Berets who requested the Oct. 3 airstrike on the Doctors without Borders trauma center in Afghanistan were aware it was a functioning hospital but believed it was under Taliban control, The Associated Press has learned.

The new information adds to a body of evidence that the internationally run medical facility site was familiar to the U.S. military, raising questions about whether the decision to attack it violated international law.

Tue, 2015-10-27 13:22

#23

Unionist

Our allies - the U.S. and Saudi Arabia - have struck again, destroying another Doctors Without Borders clinic:

[url=http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/10/27/another-msf-facility-this-t... MSF facility — this time in Yemen — hit by coalition airstrikes[/url]

Tue, 2015-10-27 13:50

#24

NDPP

MSF should get a Nobel peace prize - for promoting awareness of great power malevolence and murder. The USaudis can blow thousands of poor brown people to smithereens without anyone noticing, but bomb an MSF aid operation suddenly the media shows up..

As Civilian Casualties Mount in Yeman, Obama Mulls Support For What May Amount To War Crimes

http://www.mintpressnews.com/as-civilian-casualties-mount-in-yemen-obama...

"...But even as reports of civilian suffering and terrorist gains pile up, US officials believe that reducing American support for the Saudis could make the situation even worse."

Apparently US officials have decided the mass murder of Yemen must continue..

Thu, 2015-11-05 13:40

#25

NDPP

MSF: 'No Armed Combatants, No Fighting' !!

https://www.rt.com/news/320920-msf-investigation-afghan-hospital/

Sat, 2015-11-07 08:00

#26

pir

NDPP wrote:

MSF should get a Nobel peace prize

They did get it in 1999. And compared to Obama's it was actually deserved instead of given in the hope that he would make a difference. (Sometimes I wonder whether he feels even the slightest bit of shame for not returning it as undeserved.)

I know one should not easily attribute to malice what might easily be explained as a mistake, but after reading the MSF report, I am way beyond believing the attack on the hospital in Kunduz was an unfortunate mistake. http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/sites/usa/files/msf_kunduz_review.pdf

The main thing I am wondering about now is whether it was an Afghan initiative misleading the US so they could get rid of MSF who were a thorn in their side, or whether this was planned by the US. I'd like to say the US wouldn't be so stupid, but well... They did deliberately and routinely bomb hospitals in Vietnam: http://www.thenation.com/article/look-for-hospitals-as-targets/

Fri, 2016-04-29 18:06

#27

Unionist

[url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/us-not-guilty-war-crimes-kunduz-hosp.... Military Investigates And Finds Itself Not Guilty Of War Crimes In Afghan Hospital Bombing[/url]

One day these murderous bastards will pay for their crimes.

Fri, 2016-04-29 21:14

#28

Michael Moriarity

Greenwald also has an article about this disgraceful whitewash.