Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says three of its staff were killed in an overnight bombing of a hospital in the embattled Afghan city of Kunduz.
NATO said a US air strike “may have” hit the hospital, which is run by the medical charity, adding that the attack may have resulted in collateral damage.
The MSF hospital is seen as a key medical lifeline in the region, which has been running “beyond capacity” in recent days of fighting which saw the Taliban seize control of the provincial capital for several days.
“At 2:10 am (20:40 GMT) local time… the MSF trauma centre in Kunduz was hit several times during sustained bombing and was very badly damaged,” MSF said in a statement.
At the time of the bombing, 105 patients and their caretakers and more than 80 MSF international and national staff were present in the hospital, the charity said.
NATO said in a statement that US forces conducted an air strike in Kunduz at 2:15am (local time) “… against individuals threatening the force”.
“The strike may have resulted in collateral damage to a nearby medical facility. This incident is under investigation,” the statement said.
The MSF trauma centre in Kunduz is the only medical facility in the region that can deal with major injuries.
Al Jazeera’s Qais Azimy, reporting from Puli Khumri, about 130km from Kunduz, said the bombing injured at least 50 people.
The development came a day after the Afghan government claimed it had successfully retaken parts of Kunduz from Taliban fighters who had controlled the strategic city since Monday.
The Taliban, however, claims it remains in control of most of Kunduz, our correspondent said.
Taliban fighters have since been expanding the fight to other northern provinces after heavy clashes with Afghan government troops backed by NATO special forces.
The Taliban had captured at least one district in each of the three provinces of Badakshan, Baghlan and Takhar, Al Jazeera’s Azimy said.
Source: Al Jazeera
Comments