The US today said a "full investigation" is under way into a bombing at a hospital in the Afghan city of Kunduz that killed 19 people.
"While we are still trying to determine exactly what happened, I want to extend my thoughts and prayers to everyone affected. A full investigation into the tragic incident is underway in coordination with the Afghan government," US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said.
"At this difficult moment, we will continue to work with our Afghan partners to try and end the ongoing violence in and around Kunduz," he said.
Carter said overnight he learned of a tragic incident involving a Doctors without Borders hospital in Kunduz, that came under fire.
The area has been the scene of intense fighting the last few days, he added.
"US forces in support of Afghan Security Forces were operating nearby, as were Taliban fighters," Carter said.
Doctors Without Borders or Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said 12 of its staff members and at least seven patients, including three children, were killed; 37 people were injured including 19 staff members in a US airstrike in the wee hours of Saturday.
Stating that this attack constitutes a grave violation of International Humanitarian Law, MSF in a statement said all indications currently point to the bombing being carried out by international Coalition forces.
It demanded a full and transparent account from the Coalition regarding its aerial bombing activities over Kunduz on Saturday morning.
MSF also called for an independent investigation of the attack to ensure maximum transparency and accountability.
The bombing took place despite the fact that MSF had provided the GPS coordinates of the trauma hospital to Coalition and Afghan military and civilian officials as recently as Tuesday, September 29, to avoid that the hospital be hit.
As is routine practice for MSF in conflict areas, it had communicated the exact location of the hospital to all parties to the conflict.
