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US 'excessive' in Afghan attack US 'excessive' in Afghan attack
(about 5 hours later)
US marines violated international humanitarian law by using excessive violence in reaction to a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan, a report says.US marines violated international humanitarian law by using excessive violence in reaction to a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan, a report says.
The reaction was disproportionate and indiscriminate force used, it said.
At least 12 civilians died and 35 were injured during the incident which took place on 4 March in Nangarhar province.At least 12 civilians died and 35 were injured during the incident which took place on 4 March in Nangarhar province.
The report, published by Afghanistan's Human Rights Commission, said the reaction was disproportionate. A preliminary US investigation agreed with the report that the unit did not come under small-arms fire after the bombing, US media reports said.
The special command unit used "indiscriminate force", it says, killing both women and children. Maj Gen Frank H Kearney III, who ordered the inquiry, told the Washington Post newspaper it had found no evidence that the victims were fighters.
The findings of the report echo those of the US military's own initial investigation which concluded that the marines' response "was out of proportion to the threat that was immediately there". "My investigating officer believes these folks were innocent," he was quoted as saying.
A US military spokesman said shortly after the incident that the civilians might have been killed by incoming fire from an ambush by insurgents which followed the bombing.
Deleted footageDeleted footage
The Afghan report said that, in failing to distinguish between civilian and legitimate military targets, the US marine corps used "indiscriminate force".The Afghan report said that, in failing to distinguish between civilian and legitimate military targets, the US marine corps used "indiscriminate force".
We have testimony from marines that is in conflict with unanimous testimony from civilians at the site Maj-Gen Frank H Kearney IIIHead of US inquiry
"Their actions thus constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law standards," it said."Their actions thus constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law standards," it said.
The US said that the Nangarhar fighting, near the city of Jalalabad, started when a convoy of marines was attacked by a suicide bomber and came under co-ordinated small-arms fire. Evidence of a complex ambush involving militant gunmen who fired on the convoy was "far from conclusive", the report said.
But the Afghan report said that the evidence of a complex ambush involving militant gunmen who fired on the convoy was "far from conclusive".
According to the authors of the report, who spoke to victims, police and hospital officials as well as eyewitnesses, the marines fired indiscriminately on civilians and their vehicles as they left the scene.According to the authors of the report, who spoke to victims, police and hospital officials as well as eyewitnesses, the marines fired indiscriminately on civilians and their vehicles as they left the scene.
Journalists said that US soldiers deleted footage, including photos and videos, showing the aftermath of the Nangarhar violence. Meanwhile Maj Gen Kearney said no ammunition casings had been found that might substantiate reports that the marines were fired on.
"We found ... no brass that we can confirm that small-arms fire came at them," he told the Washington Post.
"We have testimony from marines that is in conflict with unanimous testimony from civilians at the site."
Journalists said US soldiers deleted footage, including photos and videos, showing the aftermath of the Nangarhar violence.
The soldiers, serving under the Nato-led Isaf force, were moved out of Afghanistan after the incident.The soldiers, serving under the Nato-led Isaf force, were moved out of Afghanistan after the incident.