When it was attacked early on October 3, the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan had no armed men within, and was functioning as normally as could be expected, right up until a US plane began pounding the site, killing dozens of civilians.
The US appeared obsessed with their mistaken assumption that the Taliban was using the MSF hospital as a base, a falsehood that the Afghan Defense Ministry continues to this day. MSF reported that US officials pressed them on the question just the day before the attack.
Though MSF confirmed to the US that there were no fighters within, the US warplane attacked anyhow, a move which Pentagon officials later described as “a mistake.” Interestingly, Pentagon leaders have conceded that even if there had been gunmen within, the hospital would’ve been off-limits.
MSF repeatedly told the US the coordinates of the hospital, and is still demanding an explanation for the attack, along with an independent investigation. The White House has ruled out independent investigations, however, and the Pentagon’s own internal investigation has delayed the release of its preliminary findings indefinitely.
If these buildings had been empty with no persons and no medical equipment inside the Geneva Conventions would probably have allowed their destruction to prevent the Taliban to use these as a command post. However when there are protected people inside it is a totally different environment. All warring parties are obliged to make the protection of the protected persons their first priority. The Taliban are not known to have killed protected persons of that hospital.
Once again, why are we being told this only now? Did MSF really need all this time to find this out (assuming it`s actually true)? From the start, MSF`s conduct hasn`t been that of an innocent victim. I just wonder what they`re hiding and why.
Oct 5, 2015 U.S. Bombs Hospital In Afghanistan Killing 23
A nurse with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) who survived Saturday's hour-long bombing of an Afghan hospital is speaking out about the scene he called "absolutely terrifying."
https://youtu.be/rMWNvcdb2jA