Sgt. Robert Bales Named as Afghanistan Massacre Suspect

The US soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians in a massacre that has undermined relations with Kabul has been named as Staff Sgt Robert Bales.

Senior US officials have released the name of the suspect of the Afghan civilian massacre as Sergeant Robert Bales as he was heading back to the United States to face charges. 

He is expected to land soon at Fort Leavenworth, in Kansas, from Kuwait.

His lawyer, John Henry Browne, said on Thursday that the suspect was a 38-year-old man who had been injured twice while serving in Iraq.

He also said the accused had witnessed his friend's leg blown off the day before the killings.

That incident has not been confirmed by the US Army.

The Taliban called off peace talks in the wake of Sunday's deadly rampage - in which men, women and children were shot and killed at close range.

Robert Bales has not yet been charged. 

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Sgt Robert Bales is named as the suspect in the recent Afghanistan massacres

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sourced by Emily Sutherlin