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U.S. Military Disciplines 16 Over Afghan Hospital Attack


The staff of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, demonstrates in Geneva, November 3, 2015.
The staff of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, demonstrates in Geneva, November 3, 2015.

The U.S. military has disciplined about 16 U.S. personnel, including a two-star general, for mistakes that led to the bombing of a civilian hospital in Afghanistan last year that killed 42 people.

A senior U.S. official said on April 28 that no criminal charges were filed and the military personnel disciplined received administrative punishment related to the U.S. air strike in the northern city of Kunduz in November.

Many of those being disciplined are U.S. special operations forces, the official said.

Several of the punishments doled out will effectively end the military career of the soldier or officer.

A full report on the investigation into the deadly accident will be released on April 29.

A U.S. Air Force special operations AC-130 gunship mistakenly opened fire on the hospital, which was run by the medical charity Doctors Without Borders, instead of a Taliban command center that was located in a building about 450 meters away from the hospital.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa
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