‘60 civilians massacred in raid on Kunduz seminary’

KUNDUZ CITY (Pajhwok): At least 60 civilians have been killed and many others wounded in Monday’s airstrike in Dasht-i-Archi district of Kunduz province, public representatives claimed on Tuesday.

Kunduz provincial council member Maulvi Khosh Mohammad Nasratyar told Pajhwok Afghan News 60 civilians were massacred in Monday’s attack on a seminary in the district.

“I contacted the seminary administrator, who told me that he had personally attended the funeral of the 60 ordinary people killed in the incident,” he said.

Nasratyar asked the government to thoroughly investigate the civilian casualties and punish the perpetrators.

Qalandar, a resident of the district, said 170 people were killed and a large number of others wounded in the raid.

Kunduz Zonal Hospital Director Naeem Mangal confirmed to Pajhwok receiving 57 wounded individuals, including 15 children, from raid site.“Six of the wounded have succumbed to their injuries.”

But Ghulam Hazrat Karimi, spokesman for the 209^thShaheen Military Corps in Kunduz, insisted the attack targeted the Taliban. He said the rebels were meeting in Bajawari area, where they were struck.

“Baryalai, a member of Taliban’s Quetta Shura and a number of other senior insurgents were also killed in this attack,” the official said.

In response to a question, he said: “The Taliban opened fire on students of the seminary and killed them after the airstrike ended.”

In Kabul, deputy spokesman for Defense Ministry Brig. Gen. Mohammad Radminsh also said the attack targeted a terrorist base. He added 20 militants were killed and as many wounded.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesmanZabihullah Mujahid said more than 150 civilians suffered casualties in the strike. He said the Hashimia Madrasa, where a graduation ceremony was underway, was struck.

Taliban leaders were not present at the ceremony and the casualties mostly included children, Mujahid said.

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AIHRC, UNAMA investigating attack on madrassa

ZarghonaSalehi

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) on Tuesday termed the airstrike on a seminary in Kunduz province as regrettable, saying it would investigate the incident.

The attack took place in the Fatano area of Dasht-i-Archi district on Monday noon.Different sources have provided different figures about casualties.

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said that 20 militants were killed and 20 others wounded in the airstrike by the nascent Afghan Air Force.

However, a local security official, who wished to go unnamed, said more than 60 people were killed and wounded when a graduation ceremony at the seminary came under airstrike.

Mohammadullah, speaking to Pajhwok Afghan News at the Kunduz Civil Hospital, said that more than 500 students were inside the madrassa when it was bombed.

He claimed 60 people were killed and more than 100 others wounded in the bombardment. He said three of his sons were among the injured.

AIHRC Chairperson Sima Samar, addressing a press conference, said such attacks caused civilian casualties — a matter of great regret and concern.

She said the commission had started an investigation into the nature of the attack.Samar asked the warring sides to attain goals through negotiations.

No one could win the war militarily, she believed, noting civilians paid the price.

About pro-peace movements in a number of provinces, she said the AIHRC supported such initiatives.

Also on Tuesday, UNAMA said it was actively looking into disturbing reports of serious harm to civilians from the airstrike in Dasht-i-Archi.

A human rights team was on ground establishing facts, the UN mission tweeted. It reminded all parties of their obligations to protect civilians from the impact of the armed conflict. 

Meanwhile, the Gulbadin Hekmatyar-led Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan strongly condemned the outrage in Kunduz.

In a statement, the HIA called airstrikes on graduation ceremonies and public places war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“All Afghans condemn this attack as a sinister conspiracy of some internal and foreign circles to prolong the war and derail peace attempts,” the statement concluded.

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