Killing Afghan civilians no war crime, but incompetence, military court rules
PR dla Zagranicy
Aleksander Nowacki
20.03.2015 07:12
A military court handed down suspended sentences on Thursday to four Polish soldiers who killed Afghan civilians at Nangar Khel in 2007.
fot. PAP/Tomasz Gzell
The soldiers were found guilty of negligent execution of orders, not of war crimes, as originally charged.
The suspects, who were given suspended sentences of six months to two years, opened machine-gun and mortar fire on the Afghan village of Nangar Khel in August 2007, killing six people and wounding three.
The prosecutors demanded jail terms of five to eight years for war crimes.
The five-member panel of military judges found no evidence of war crimes, but found them guilty of failure to execute orders by neglecting to make proper reconnaissance before opening fire and broking rules of engagement. (an)
Source: PAP