President Obama Apologizes for Hospital Bombing

Neither the USA nor Afghanistan is a signatory, and therefore they would have to issue separate declarations of consent to the investigation of the Kunduz bombing. Campbell declined in a press briefing Monday – after clarifying that the airstrike by an AC-130 gunship was called at the request of Afghan forces – to answer other key questions until the investigation is completed, including whether USA special operations forces were on the ground with Afghan forces who called for the strike.

There are already investigations by the Defense Department, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and a joint U.S.-Afghan group, which the Obama administration says is enough. “And that, if necessary, the president would implement changes to make tragedies like this one less likely to occur in the future”, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.

US President Barack Obama spoke by telephone with MSF worldwide President Joanne Liu on Wednesday and apologized to her for the attack, but Liu continued to insist that the United States permit an independent outside inquiry into the attack.

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein urged a full and transparent investigation into the attack. Qamirudin Sediqi, an adviser at the country’s Public Health Ministry, said medical supplies were now being delivered to Kunduz airport aboard military flights.

The Geneva Conventions, which date to 1864, set out rules on armed conflict notably over protecting non-combatants. – including civilians, aid workers, medics and prisoners.

“The commission is supposed to be the guardian of global humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention and those are the principles that we operate under as a humanitarian organization”, said Cone.

Responding to the MSF push for the fact-finding mission, Ghani’s office said that government “will fully cooperate with the investigation through appropriate channels agreed upon by our partners” in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Resolute Support mission.

The Afghan Ministry of Defence said on Sunday Taliban fighters had attacked the hospital and were using the building “as a human shield”, which the medical group denied, while pointing out it would be a war crime not to treat the wounded.

Campbell said he expected to make public a preliminary report from Kim within 30 days.

Doctors Without Borders said it sent letters to 76 countries that have signed Article 90 of the additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions, seeking to mobilize the commission.

MSF said that U.S. forces were repeatedly warned that the target was a hospital but continued with the strike anyway.

Her comments came after the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General John Campbell, yesterday acknowledged that Saturday’s air strike in Kunduz had been a tragic error. “Even war has rules”, said MSF Executive Director Jason Cone said today during a news conference in New York.