Aid agency flays alleged attack of Afghan troops to health clinic

A Swedish aid agency the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) has slammed the alleged attack of Afghan forces to a health clinic run by the aid agency in the eastern Wardak province and strongly condemned it, a statement of SCA released here Thursday said.

"The information from Wardak indicates that the raid was conducted by the Afghan National Army," the statement added.

According to the statement, the attack was conducted in Tangi Saidan area on Wednesday night and claimed the lives of three people including two patients and a personal caretaker of the clinic.

"This attack constitutes a gross violation of humanitarian principles and the Geneva Convention that all actors of a conflict have to respect. Medical facilities and medical staff are to provide treatment to anyone in need and patients are to be granted safety according to humanitarian law," the statement said.

"SCA is a neutral party in the military conflict that prevails in Afghanistan. The patients who are being treated at our clinics have the right to be protected," says Jorgen Holmstrom, Country Director of SCA, in the statement.

However, the statement added,"We will further investigate this violation and let those responsible be held accountable."

Earlier in the day, spokesman for the Wardak provincial government, Toryali Hemat told Xinhua that the government special forces raided Taliban hideout in Tangi Saidan area Wednesday night and killed four insurgents on the spot besides injuring two others and capturing another. Enditem