KABUL, Oct 23: The Afghan government on Sunday called for the United States to punish anyone found guilty over the ‘Taliban burning’ incident, which threatens to spark widespread public anger against occupying foreign forces.
Defence ministry spokesman General Mohammad Zahir Azimi said Kabul was investigating after US forces allegedly set fire to the bodies of Taliban fighters, contravening Muslim traditions and international law.
If the investigation confirms the incident took place, “we will ask the US authorities to punish those responsible,” Azimi told a press conference.
“It doesn’t mean that we will ask the Americans to hand over those responsible, but we will ask them to punish them under their own laws,” he said.
Azimi said that Kabul hoped the burning of the bodies would be the last untoward incident involving US forces, who have regularly been accused of bombing civilians by accident during their ongoing campaign against the Taliban.
“We hope that the burning of Taliban bodies are the last (violations) to occur,” Azimi said.
The US is also investigating the incident. The soldiers involved were reported to have taunted the Taliban over the burning.
Washington has expressed deep concern over the incident, which follows criticism about the abuse of Afghan detainees in US custody.
It has angered many in Afghanistan despite near daily attacks by Taliban militants who launched an insurgency after they were removed from power in a US-led operation in 2001.
This year has been the bloodiest for militant-linked violence since the Taliban were removed, with around 1,400 people killed, many of the militants. A 17-year-old killed in a blast in Kandahar was the latest victim of the violence, Azimi said.
The United States is leading a coalition force of up to 20,000 troops who are helping Afghan forces to round up Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters based mainly in the volatile south and east of the country.—AFP
