Top general in Afghanistan: U.S. strike on hospital a mistake

U.S. forces attacked a hospital in northern Afghanistan last weekend, killing at least 22 people, despite “rigorous” U.S. military procedures designed to avoid such mistakes, the top commander of U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan said Tuesday. Gen. John F. Campbell told a Senate committee that Afghan forces requested air support Saturday while engaged in combat with Taliban fighters in the city of Kunduz, communicating with U.S. special operations troops at the scene. Those U.S. forces were in contact with the AC-130 gunship that fired on the hospital, Campbell said.

We would never intentionally target a protected medical facility.

Gen John F Campbell

“To be clear, the decision to provide (airstrikes) was a U.S. decision, made within the U.S. chain of command,” Campbell said. “The hospital was mistakenly struck.” In his appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Campbell said he could not provide more details about what happened, including who may have failed to follow procedures for avoiding attacks on hospitals. He said he must await the outcome of multiple investigations. Campbell had disclosed on Monday that the attack had been requested by Afghan troops.

Bombing hospitals is a war crime! Stop the bombing now!

A woman protester who attended the Senate hearing

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