B2 The Daily of Geopolitical Europe. News. Files. Reflections. Reports

AsiaBrief blogMissions Operations

Bombardment of Kunduz. The US military varies in its versions. Its reliability wavers

(B2) The US military seems really embarrassed by the Kunduz bombing of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital. The different versions follow one another at an important rate, contradicting each other.

Initially, the version given is of a possible action on the spot. We then evoke a reply in US self-defense: “ lUS forces were threatened and an air raid was called ».

Yesterday morning, le General John F. Campbell, head of the US forces in Afghanistan, gives another version during the Pentagon press briefing, indicating that it was the Afghan forces who requested air support (and apparently there was no additional verification). “We have now learned that on October 3, Afghan forces indicated they were under fire from enemy positions and requested air support from US forces.. An airstrike was then called in to eliminate the Taliban threat and several civilians were accidentally hit ».

The moment is key: President Obama has announced a gradual withdrawal of American troops present in Afghanistan.

(NGV)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

s2Member®