Pentagon To Make “Condolence Payments” To Victim Families Of Bombed Hospital

Doctors Without Borders USA executive Jason Cone last week denounced the strike as a “war crime” and called for an independent inquiry into the incident. The MSF demanded that the 15 member worldwide Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission based in Bern Switzerland carry out the investigation. Reportedly, the hospital had treated almost 400 people, including Taliban fighters, wounded in fierce fighting in the days before the attack.

Cook said USFOR-A would determine “appropriate payments” through discussions with those affected.

The USA military, NATO, and the Afghan government are all conducting concurrent investigations.

As well as the casualty numbers, the air strike has destroyed a vital medical facility in one of the most war-torn parts of the world.

Earlier this week President Obama phoned the head of Doctors Without Borders to apologize for the airstrike on the hospital, which the us military has said was struck by mistake.

Doctors Without Borders says it has not officially received any details of the compensation announced yesterday by the United States for those killed and wounded in the USA air strike on a hospital in Afghanistan.

On Tuesday, top US commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Campbell, called the airstrike a “mistake”.

The hospital ran by MSF in Kunduz is the only health facility of its kind in the city and its neighbouring districts. The directory of global law and policy at the worldwide Committee of the Red Cross also supported the MSF, claiming that the IHFFC investigation would complement those of the Afghans, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the US.

The major questions remaining over the United States attack, however, look set to remain unanswered, as the Pentagon appears to hope promised payments will make the problem go away, and refused to release any further details on the attack itself.

He told the group’s general director Christopher Stokes and Afghanistan representative Guilhem Molinie that he had ordered Afghan security forces to ensure the protection of humanitarian organizations, a statement said.

In the past, the USA has offered up to US$5,000 for a civilian injury or death in Afghanistan. It took the Los Angeles Times to uncover the 381 pages of findings after a Pentagon investigation into a US airstrike in Afghanistan that killed a Marine and a Navy medic in 2011.