High-level Kabul delegation begins probe in Achin airstrike

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): A high-level delegation from Kabul has arrived in eastern Nangarhar province to investigate a deadly US airstrike on an Afghan militia force in the Achin district, an official said Saturday.

The airstrike was called in after an ALP member opened fire at US forces during a security meeting on Thursday, reports had said. US forces said one soldier was injured in the incident.

After what appeared to an insider’s attack, the US forces bombarded an ALP post and killed 13 ALP members, according to local security officials.

Governor’s spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani, told Pajhwok Afghan News the Ministry of Defense delegation from Kabul was headed by Brig. Gen. Abdur Rashi Qaderi, the vice chief of army chief staff.

He said the delegation included officials from the Interior Ministry, the National Directorate of Security, the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) and some other organs.

The delegation met today with Governor Gulab Mangal who shared initial information about the incident with the delegation, Khogyani said.

Gulab Mangal said he immediately sent a professional delegation to the incident area after the shootout to thoroughly investigate the issue. The governor also asked the MoD team to comprehensively investigate the Achin incident.

Brig. Gen. Abdur Rashid Qaderi, head of the MoD delegation, assured the incident would be fully investigated and the results shared with the governor’s house and with the central government.

mds/ma

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