KABUL: A suspected US air strike on a hospital killed 19 people on Saturday in the Afghan city of Kunduz, medical charity MSF said. The UN condemned the bombardment as “inexcusable, and possibly even criminal”.

Dozens more were seriously wounded at the facility, a key lifeline that has been running “beyond capacity” during fighting that saw the Taliban seize control of the northern provincial capital for several days.

The strike early on Saturday left the building engulfed in flames, with photos posted by Doctors Without Borders showing their staff shocked and dazed.

“At 2:10am local time... the MSF trauma centre in Kunduz was hit several times during sustained bombing and was very badly damaged,” the organisation, known by its French initials, said.

Attack may amount to a war crime, says UN human rights chief

“Twelve staff members and at least seven patients, including three children, were killed; 37 people were injured. This attack constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law.”

The charity said the bombing continued for more than 30 minutes after American and Afghan military officials were first alerted they were being hit.

“All parties to the conflict, including in Kabul and Washington, were clearly informed of the precise location (GPS coordinates) of the MSF facilities,” the statement added.

MSF said the aerial raid hit the main hospital building housing the intensive care unit and emergency rooms, while the surrounding buildings were left untouched.

Nato conceded that US forces might have been behind the strike on MSF. “The strike may have resulted in collateral damage to a nearby medical facility. This incident is under investigation,” a Nato statement said.

The incident has renewed concerns about the use of air strikes by US in Afghanistan, a deeply contentious issue in the 14-year campaign against Taliban insurgents.

UN rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein called for a full and transparent probe, noting that, “if established as deliberate in a court of law, an air strike on a hospital may amount to a war crime”.

“This event is utterly tragic, inexcusable and possibly even criminal,” he said.

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said a “full investigation” is being carried out.

The Afghan defence ministry expressed sadness but in a statement said “a group of armed terrorists... were using the hospital building as a position to target Afghan forces and civilians”.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2015

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