New Zealand's Defense Forces (NZDF) have provided the authorities and the population of the country with erroneous data on casualties and deaths among civilians during an operation in Afghanistan in 2010, a long-awaited investigation released on Friday found
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st July, 2020) New Zealand's Defense Forces (NZDF) have provided the authorities and the population of the country with erroneous data on casualties and deaths among civilians during an operation in Afghanistan in 2010, a long-awaited investigation released on Friday found.
The report found that only three of the eight people killed during Operation Burnham of the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) could definitively be established as insurgents, while the rest could have been civilians, in contrast to claims made by the NZDF from 2010-2017. One child was believed to have died in the operation. The report, however, maintained that the operation was legitimate and the NZSAS acted in accordance with combat rules of engagement.
The investigation began in 2017 after the publication of "Hit and Run: The New Zealand SAS in Afghanistan and the meaning of honour" by Kiwi investigative journalists, which accused the SAS of the civilian deaths, including the child, and said the NZDF had intentionally altered the facts.
According to the investigation, the NZDF officials did not intend to cover-up the casualties, but at the same time, never fixed their publicly made statements that allegations of civilian casualties were "unfounded," despite knowing it was possible.
New Zealand Armed Forces Commander Kevin Short welcomed the findings of the report and expressed deep regret over the mistakes made.
"This inquiry report demonstrates, and rightly so, that we let our frontline people down through a series of organization and administrative failings that saw incorrect information provided to ministers and to the New Zealand public, and for that I am deeply regretful," Short said in a press conference following the report's release.
Short went on to point out that the report did not directly implicate New Zealand service members in the civilian deaths.
"The report concludes that as well as insurgents, it is likely there were civilians casualties either killed or injured in the operation. It also confirms that New Zealand's forces were not involved," Short read from a prepared statement.
New Zealand was part of the US-led invasion into Afghanistan that toppled the Taliban regime.
