Afghan forces called for air strike in Kunduz: US general
Afghan forces asked for US air support while fighting the Taliban in Kunduz shortly before an air strike resulted in the deaths of civilians there, the American commander of international forces in Afghanistan said on October 5.
US Army General John Campbell fell short of squarely acknowledging US responsibility for an air strike that killed 22 people in an Afghan hospital run by aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) on October 3.
MSF reiterated its call for an independent investigation into the incident, though the White House said on October 5 it was confident ongoing probes by the US military, NATO, and Afghan security officials would provide a full account of the circumstances surrounding the strike.
Campbell said US forces were not under direct fire in the incident and the air strike had not been called on their behalf, contrary to previous statements from the US military.
"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," Campbell said in a briefing with reporters. "An air strike was then called to eliminate the Taliban threat, and several civilians were accidentally struck."
In a statement on October 5, MSF General Director Christopher Stokes said Campbell's comments amounted to trying to pass responsibility for the strike to the Afghan government.
"The reality is the US dropped those bombs," the statement said. "The US hit a huge hospital full of wounded patients and MSF staff. The US military remains responsible for the targets it hits, even though it is part of a coalition. There can be no justification for this horrible attack."