UK army killed 64 children in Afghanistan between 2006-14: Report

The British military paid $165,332 in compensation after the deaths of 64 kids in Afghanistan, a brand new report says.

British military
A British Armed Forces staff mentors troopers of the Afghan Nationwide Military (ANA) in southern Afghanistan [File:Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters]

British forces have paid compensation for the deaths of 64 kids in Afghanistan, a toll 4 occasions increased than the 16 little one deaths publicly acknowledged by the Ministry of Defence, in line with a brand new report.

Motion on Armed Violence (AOAV), a United Kingdom-based charity, discovered that the British authorities paid, on common, £1,656 ($1,894) in compensation for every individual killed.

Between 2006-2014, “there have been 64 confirmed little one victims in Afghanistan the place the British navy paid compensation, though the variety of kids killed might be as excessive as 135”.

Moreover, AOAV discovered that between April 2007 and December 2012, there have been 38 incidents involving the 64 little one deaths.

The typical age of a kid killed was six years outdated, and air strikes have been the commonest reason behind loss of life listed.

‘Tragedy’

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence responded to the brand new report, saying: “Any civilian loss of life throughout battle is a tragedy, extra so when kids and relations are concerned.

“The UK Armed Forces works onerous to minimise that threat, which regrettably can by no means be solely eradicated.”

Compensation

Whole payouts by the navy amounted to £144,593 ($165,332), however the report defined this included the deaths of adults.

Households making an attempt to assert compensation for the lack of a relative have been anticipated to point out proof, together with beginning certificates and interviews with British personnel, to substantiate there was no affiliation with the Taliban.

“Nearly all of the 881 fatality claims delivered to the ACO (Allied Commander Operations) have been rejected. Only one-quarter of these acquired any compensation.”

Iain Overton, govt director of Motion on Armed Violence, stated: “The variety of kids killed following British navy motion in Helmand ought to give pause for thought.

“Struggle invariably results in loss of life and trendy battle will all the time deliver civilian casualties, however not reporting on such deaths – nevertheless a lot it may be a supply of remorse and horror to the troopers concerned within the killings and nevertheless unintentional such deaths have been – could be an omission of accountability and an erosion of reality.

“This report hopes to provide some particulars to the often-forgotten kids killed in battle and, in a roundabout way, to ship a warning to future Westminster politicians who would possibly take into account sending troops into battle,” Overton stated.

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post