US Denies Allegations of Torture by Afghanistan
Published at(KABUL, Afghanistan) — The U.S. is denying insinuations by Afghan President Hamid Karzai that its Special Forces were part of a series of tortures and other serious misconduct in Afghanistan’s central Wardak province.
Karzai ordered all Special Forces out of Wardak and Logar after allegations that Americans and Afghan militias embedded with these units have something to do with the brutal murder of a university student and the disappearance of nine villagers.
These claims were first made by Wardak’s governor and tribal elders although there is no proof that the U.S. military was culpable.
On Monday, Lt. Col. Les Carroll, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan, announced, “In recent months, a thorough review has confirmed that no coalition forces have been involved in the alleged misconduct in Wardak province.”
Leaving Wardak and Logar provinces will be a blow to American counter-insurgency efforts since both regions are a gateway to Kabul, possibly making the capital more vulnerable to attacks by the Taliban.
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