MSF calls for independent inquiry into U.S. attack on Afghan hospital

[October 07, 2015]  By Stephanie Nebehay
 
 GENEVA (Reuters) - Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) called on Wednesday for an independent international fact-finding commission to be established to investigate the U.S. bombing of its hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, which it deems a war crime.

The medical charity said that the commission, which can be set up at the request of a single state under the Geneva Convention, would gather facts and evidence from the United States, NATO and Afghanistan.

Only then would MSF decide whether to bring criminal charges for loss of life and damage, it said.

"If we let this go, we are basically giving a blank check to any countries at war," MSF International President Joanne Liu told a news briefing in Geneva. "There is no commitment to an independent investigation yet."

The U.S. military took responsibility on Tuesday for the air strike on a hospital in the Afghan city of Kunduz, that killed 22 people, calling it a mistake and vowing to bring the perpetrators to account.

MSF said it sent a letter on Tuesday to the 76 countries who signed up to the additional protocol of the Geneva Convention that set up the standing commission in 1991.

Neither the United States nor Afghanistan are signatories and Francoise Saulnier, MSF lead counsel MSF, said that the consent of the states involved is necessary.

MSF is in talks with Switzerland about convoking the international commission of independent experts.

"Today we say enough, even war has rules," Liu said.

"We cannot rely on internal investigations by U.S, NATO and Afghan forces."

(Editing by Louise Ireland)

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.