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Canadian AfghanMajor General to investigate Air Strike in Kunduz

by Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke | September 8, 2009 at 09:11 am

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NATO has now confirmed that the attack on the two oil tankers included civilian casualties. The attack conducted by the US Air Force was ordered by German Forces.

U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, has appointed Canadian Maj. Gen. C.S. "Duff" Sullivan to lead a joint investigation board that will probe the Kunduz air strike.

The board will also include a legal advisor along with officers from the US Air Force and German Forces. Maj Gen Duff was involved in the friendly fire investigation three years ago, which resulted in the death of Private Mark Anthony Graham. Maj Gen Duff is the Air Component Element Director and the Deputy of Joint Operations for ISAF.

German Chancellor Andrea Merkel has said that her government would not accept premature judgment. On the same token nothing would be swept under the table.

The probe is expected to last several weeks.

Here is a related story by the daily mail. General McChrystal has imposed an alcohol ban in ISAF Headquarters. The story states that Americans already have an alcohol ban in theatre. If I'm not mistaking so do the Canadian Forces. Apparently ISAF Headquarters had a 2 can per day rule. Obviously it wasn't enforced if people were too hungover to explain the situation to the Commander.

Afghan alcohol ban after Nato staff were 'too hungover' to give explanation for airstrike that killed 70 civilians

NATO has confirmed that Afghan civilians died in a recent air strike on two stolen fuel tankers and a Canadian general will now lead an investigation into the deadly incident.

The air strike happened in the early hours of Friday, when German forces called in an attack on a pair of hijacked fuel tankers in the northern province of Kunduz. They believed that no civilians were present when the air strike was called in. But local officials have said dozens of civilians died in the ensuing explosion when the tankers were hit.

Both German and U.S. forces were involved in the strike on the fuel tankers.