Swedish Committee Report - Civilian Contractors Had Used Afghan Hospital for Cover in July '09!

[1776Forever]

Thanks to Rabs who gave me this update on the invasion at the Swedish Hospital -

Swedish Committee report on the intrusion -

..The hospital was invaded and used in July by armed civilian contractors as a shelter during a firefight with insurgents in which the contractors abused staff and damaged hospital property. (Assume that by international law, using a civilian hospital to take cover during a battle is a major no-no.)

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Swedish Committee for Afghanistan

International military violently entered SCA Hospital in Wardak
PRESS RELEASE, Kabul, September 6, 2009

On Wednesday evening September 2 at 10 pm coalition vehicles drove up at SCA’s Hospital in Shaniz, Wardak province along the main highway from Kabul to Ghazni. They entered the hospital compound, reportedly without giving any reason or justification for entering the hospital compound. They searched all rooms, even bathrooms, male and female wards. Rooms that were locked were forcefully entered and the doors of the malnutrition ward and the ultrasound ward were broken by force to gain entry. Upon entering the hospital they tied up four employees and two family members of patients at the hospital. SCA staffs as well as patients (even those in beds) were forced out of rooms/wards throughout the search.

Snip:

The hospital has faced a further intrusion on 13 July, when private security guards escorting a convoy came under attack from insurgents and sought shelter/treatment in a very aggressive manner in the hospital and proceeded to assault staff and damage property.

Complete report and contact information:

http://www.swedishcommittee.org/archive/articles/press/2009/wpoIMF/

Background on SCA; it has been in Afghanistan since the early 1980s.

http://www.swedishcommittee.org/sca/index.html

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Rabs also gave me this info on the 10th Mountain Division based at Fort Drum, N.Y:

The Division has been taking heavy casualties in Afghanistan recently:

Aug. 28, 2009
10th Mountain Division Soldier killed in Afghanistan
FORT DRUM, NY -- A 10th Mountain Division Soldier from Fort Drum was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle Aug. 28 in Logar province, Afghanistan. The Fort Drum Soldier killed is Spc. Abraham S. Wheeler III, 22, of Columbia, SC.
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Aug. 22, 2009
10th Mountain Division Soldier dies after roll-over incident in Afghanistan
FORT DRUM, NY -- A 10th Mountain Division Soldier from Fort Drum died of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over on Aug. 22 in Logar province, Afghanistan. The Fort Drum Soldier who died is Cpl. Darby T. Morin, 25, of Victoria, Canada. Cpl. Morin served as a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear specialist with the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry).
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Aug. 20, 2009
10th Mountain Division Soldier killed in Afghanistan
FORT DRUM, NY -- A 10th Mountain Division Soldier from Fort Drum was killed by indirect fire Aug. 20 in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. The Fort Drum Soldier killed is Pfc. Brian M. Wolverton, 21, of Oak Park, Calif.
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Aug. 20, 2009
10th Mountain Division Soldier killed by IED attack in Afghanistan
FORT DRUM, NY -- A 10th Mountain Division Soldier from Fort Drum was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle Aug. 20 in Wardak Province, Afghanistan. The Fort Drum Soldier killed is Spec. Justin R. Pellerin, 21, of Boscawen, N.H.
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Aug. 7, 2009
10th Mountain Division Soldier killed in Afghanistan
FORT DRUM, NY -- A 10th Mountain Division Soldier from Fort Drum was killed Aug. 7 in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. The Fort Drum Soldier killed is Sgt. Jerry R. Evans Jr., 23, of Eufaula, Ala.

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This does not condone the actions by the Army Troops but does bring up questions as to how much the "Civilian Contractors" have influenced tactics in the current situation! Were their any of them with the Army Troops? If anyone knows more please post it!

[Arctic Dave]

1. Boot the contractors, court martial the officer in charge.

[FarCenter]

2. An occasional soldier killed does not amount to "heavy casualties"

The US infantry took "heavy casualties" at Omaha beach on D-Day.

The British and Canadians took "light casualties" at Sword and Juno beaches.

I think that "heavy casualties" typically means 30% or more of a unit killed or wounded when describing military history.

[1776Forever]

3. With all due respect - We are not talking about a World War & I did not condone the action!

All I am saying is that this is something that I would like to see more investigation on.