UN: Afghan Air Force Killed 30 Children
According to the United Nations, Afghanistan’s air force attacked a religious gathering in April with missiles and machine guns, killing 30 children. The UN says Afghanistan does not adhere to established principles of war.
According to the United Nations, an airstrike by the Afghan army on a religious gathering in Kunduz province killed 30 children.
In an investigative report by the “UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan” (UNAMA), the attack occurred on April 2 by helicopter in the “Dasht-e Archi” area, which is considered a Taliban stronghold.
The United Nations cited eyewitness accounts, medical personnel, government representatives, and Afghan security forces in its report.
Afghan Government: Attack Targeted Taliban
Mohammad Ramnesh, spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, said at the time of the incident that more than 30 Taliban were killed in the airstrike and there were no civilians among the casualties.
One day later, Nematullah Timuri, spokesman for the Kunduz governor, announced that the airstrike casualties included 5 civilians and 35 Taliban.
According to the Afghan government’s statement, Mullah Brian, one of the leaders of the “Quetta Shura,” the Taliban’s most important organization in Pakistan, was also killed in the Afghan army’s airstrike.
Contrary to what the Afghan government claimed, security force representatives and eyewitnesses said the airstrike occurred when a gathering was taking place near a Quranic school to mark the end of classes.
UN inspectors neither confirmed nor denied whether all victims of the Afghan air force strike were civilians or if any Taliban members were among them.
However, the United Nations emphasized that the high number of children killed indicates that the Afghan government does not adhere to established principles of warfare.
The UN report states that even if the military had a legitimate military target in mind, it is unclear whether “specific measures were taken to prevent harm to civilians.”
Source: DW
