An handout provided by Doctors Without Borders shows surgery activities in one of the remaining parts of the hospital in Kunduz in the aftermath of the bombings, Kunduz, Afghanistan, October 3, 2015.(Photo: MSF HANDOUT, EPA)
Doctors Without Borders withdrew Sunday from the northern Afghan city of Kunduz<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and increased to 22 the death toll from<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a U.S. airstrike that destroyed its hospital early Saturday.
U.S. and NATO officials promised a swift investigation into the strike, and controversy quickly swirled.
The Pentagon issued a statement saying U.S. forces were conducting an airstrike in Kunduz against "insurgents who were directly firing upon U.S.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>servicemembers advising and assisting Afghan Security Forces." The statement said the strike took place "in the vicinity" of the Doctors with Borders hospital.
Afghanistan Interior Ministry spokesman<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Sediq Sediqi has said that up to 15 insurgents were shooting from<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the hospital.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The Associated Press said its<span style="color: Red;">*</span>video footage of the burned-out compound showed automatic weapons on windowsills.
Kate Stegeman, a spokesperson for Doctors Without Borders, denied the claim.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The compound gate was closed all night, Stegeman said, and "only staff, patients and caretakers were inside when bombing occurred."<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The Taliban, in a statement, also said none of its fighters were there<span style="color: Red;">*</span>at the time of the airstrike.
NATO has directed a preliminary multi-national investigation and an initial report could be issued within days, the Pentagon said. The U.S. military also is conducting a thorough probe, the statement said.
Stegeman<span style="color: Red;">*</span>said 12 hospital staff and 10 patients were killed in the attack. She said<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the hospital is no longer functional and some staff were working in two other health facilities in the city where some of the wounded were sent. Dozens of people were wounded in the attack.
President Obama expressed his "deepest condolences" to those killed and injured and promised a thorough<span style="color: Red;">*</span>investigation.
In a tweet to Obama and the Department of Defense on Sunday, Doctors Without Borders executive director Jason Cone wrote: "condolences won't bring back 12 @MSF dead colleagues. We need answers & independent investigation."
Doctors Without Borders said the hospital was hit several times during "sustained bombing." Its president called it a "grave violation of international humanitarian law," and the United Nation's top human rights official said it may prove to be a war crime.
The Taliban seized the besieged city of 300,000<span style="color: Red;">*</span>last week but gave back some ground when government forces swept back into the area. Fighting has continued and the city has struggled to maintain basic services.
The office of Gen. John Campbell, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said the strike was conducted against insurgents firing on U.S. service members, who have been advising and assisting Afghan security forces in their effort to clear the area of insurgents.
"While we work to thoroughly examine the incident and determine what happened, my thoughts and prayers are with those affected," Campbell said. "As always, we will take all reasonable steps to protect civilians from harm."
USA TODAY
19 killed after Afghan hospital hit in suspected U.S. airstrike
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