Afghanistan Civilian Deaths Investigation Abandoned Over 'Lack Of U.S. Cooperation'

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/12/afghanistan-civilian-deaths-investigation-abandoned_n_4258029.html



Afghanistan Civilian Deaths Investigation Abandoned Over 'Lack Of U.S. Cooperation'
Reuters
By Hamid Shalizi and Dylan Welch Posted: 11/12/2013 12:01 am EST | Updated: 11/12/2013 1:29 am EST

KABUL, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's intelligence service has abandoned its investigation into the murder of a group of civilians after being refused access to U.S. special forces soldiers suspected of involvement, according to a document obtained by Reuters.

Seventeen men disappeared after being detained in U.S. raids in Wardak province between October 2012 and February 2013. Bodies of 10 of the men were found by residents in shallow graves within several hundred metres of the U.S. soldiers' base.

Mystery surrounding their deaths has added tension to U.S.-Afghan ties already strained over delays to a proposed security pact designed to define the future of U.S. troops after most foreign forces leave the country by the end of next year.

In the report authored by Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) intelligence agency, investigators said they had asked the United States for access to three U.S. Green Berets and four Afghan translators working with them but were rebuffed.