A hospital run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was struck by airstrikes in the Afghan city of Kunduz, killing at least nine MSF staff and leaving dozens injured and unaccounted for.
According to initial reports, the airstrikes had been carried out by US forces and may have caused collateral or accidental damage to the hospital.
In a statement, MSF expressed its horror at the event, stating that it had informed ‘all fighting parties of hospital GPS coordinates’.
“MSF condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific bombing of its hospital in Kunduz full of staff and patients,” read the statement.
“MSF wishes to clarify that all parties to the conflict, including in Kabul and Washington, were clearly informed of the precise location (GPS Coordinates) of the MSF facilities,” added the statement.
“The bombing continued for more than 30 minutes after American and Afghan military officials in Kabul and Washington were first informed. MSF urgently seeks clarity on exactly what took place and how this terrible event could have happened.”
MSF has confirmed that nine of its staff were killed while 37 other people, including 19 of its staff, were seriously wounded. The charity organisation addded that many patients and staff remain unaccounted for and that the numbers keep growing.
Following the attack, a spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan confirmed that US forces had been conducting airstrikes in Kunduz “against individuals threatening the force.”
“The strike may have resulted in collateral damage to a nearby medical facility,” said Colonel Brian Tribus.
In recent days, Afghan forces had been in intense fighting with the Taliban after the militant group captured Kunduz. On Friday, Afghanistan claimed it had regained control of the city despite the Taliban saying otherwise.
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