US-led NATO forces
attacked a health clinic in Afghanistan, stormed the building, damaged equipment, detained those inside and turned it into a temporary jail and military base, in a grave violation of the laws of war.
The incident occurred in October in Wardak province, according to the aid group that runs the clinic, the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan.
"The soldiers knocked down a wall to enter the building, damaged doors, windows, examination beds and other equipment, and detained clinical staff and civilians inside,"
reports the
Guardian's Emma Graham-Harrison from Kabul. "And for the next two and a half days they brought dozens, maybe hundreds of prisoners through the clinic, using it as a jail, logistics hub and for mortar fire, contravening the Geneva conventions, which protect medical centres."
"The protection of medical persons and facilities, and respect for their neutrality was one of the founding principles of international humanitarian law," Erica Gaston, a human rights lawyer and senior program officer at the US Institute of Peace, told the
Guardian.
Comment: Interesting choice of name the British government decided to call this political operation.
Operation Condor