UN condemns air strike on hospital in northern Afghanistan Kunduz city

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan strongly condemned the air raids against a hospital in the northern city of Kunduz that left three doctors dead and several others injured on Saturday.

"I condemn in the strongest terms the tragic and devastating air strike on Medecins Sans Frontieres Hospital in Kunduz early this morning, which resulted in the deaths and injury of medical personnel, patients and other civilians," Nicholas Haysom, the UN secretary-general's Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of the UN mission said in a statement released here.

Hospitals accommodating patients and medical personnel may never be the object of attack, and international humanitarian law also prohibits the use of medical facilities for military purposes, the statement added.

"I reiterate my call on all parties to the conflict to respect and protect medical and humanitarian personnel and facilities," the UN official said.

Earlier, U.S. forces in Afghanistan which support Afghan forces in the war on Taliban militants and terrorists said that investigation has been initiated into the case.

However, Afghan police in Kunduz city said that the Taliban had begun using Medecins sans Frontieres hospital as their position in the war against government forces and more than 200 armed militants were hiding in the hospital during the air raid.

In a surprise attack, Taliban militants captured major parts of Kunduz city, the capital of Kunduz province 250 km north of Kabul last Monday, and government forces started counter-offensive on Thursday and so far, according to Kunduz police, hundreds of Taliban militants have been killed. Endi