By Barialai Ansari in ToloNews, May 30,2023 at 9:21 PM
Family members of victims of a night raid that they say was conducted by Australian forces in 2010 in Kakrag, Uruzgan, said they should be paid compensation.
Residents claim that “at least 60 people were killed, and 59 others were wounded” in a night raid by Australian forces in Kakrag village of Tarinkot city.
TOLOnews interviewed victims and their family members.
According to the residents, the raid was conducted by Australian forces on July 5, 2010.
According to interviews with locals, 13 girls, 9 boys, 14 elders, 8 youths and 16 women were killed in the raid.
The family members of the victims called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to ensure their right to justice.
“The aircraft landed over there. They would shoot anyone who would try to escape. Nothing was visible. In the morning, we say many were martyred. There was no grave left without a corpse,” said Wali Mohammad, a relative.
“We have this demand, that they should be brought to justice because we have been oppressed. There was no Daesh and no Taliban–no outsiders. They would shoot at anyone who would flee from the area during the attack,” said Noor Mohammad, a relative of the victims.
Mohammadullah, 38, told TOLOnews that he lost 14 members of his family in this raid. Six other members of his family were wounded, according to Mahmadullah.
“20 members of my family were martyred or wounded,” he said.
“When the Americans and Australians left, the B-52 started bombing,” said Wali Khan, a local resident.
The provincial governor, Mohammad Ali Jan Ahmad, said that hundreds of civilians were killed by foreigners within the past 20 years.
“Our people want the prosecution of these people. If the foreigners consider themselves the real defenders of human rights, then this is the wish of the Afghans. The Afghans were human and were oppressed,” he said.
On November 27, 2022, Reuters reported that 13 Australian special forces soldiers faced dismissal in relation to a report on alleged unlawful killings in Afghanistan, quoting the head of Australia’s army.
The report cited an independent report which was published in redacted form, saying there was evidence that 39 unarmed Afghan prisoners and civilians were killed by 19 Australian soldiers.
None of the 19 soldiers were identified in the report, which was written by a state judge appointed by the inspector-general of Defense, Reuter said. The 19 current and former soldiers have been referred for possible prosecution, the report said. https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-183577
