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US soldiers 'burned bodies'
26/11/2005 19:20 - (SA)
Afghanistan - Two US soldiers have been reprimand for burning the bodies of two Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, the top US commander in Afghanistan said on Saturday.
General Jason Kamiya, the commander of the US ground forces in Afghanistan said they were only "reprimanded" but not sanctioned, defending his soldiers as not violating any laws governing the conduct of war.
"My investigation reveals that the US coalition forces did not violate the law of war," he said, adding the burning of the Taliban corpses was for "hygiene purpose" by soldiers unaware of Afghan culture.
"They only disposed enemy remains through burning for hygiene purpose. War cremation is allowable for hygiene reasons," he said.
However, the general admitted the practice was against Afghan culture which his soldiers were not aware of.
"It is not acceptable practice according to Afghan culture and tradition," he said. "There was however, evidence of poor judgement and lack of knowledge and respect of Afghan culture and customs," he added.
Islamic tradition requires the bodies of Muslims to be washed, prayed over, wrapped in white cloth and buried, if possible, within a day.
The burning of the bodies of the two Taliban, who were killed in a gunfight with US troops, was condemned by the government of President Hamid Karzai and ordinary Afghans.
The incident first surfaced after Australian television broadcast on October 19 footage showing US soldiers burning the corpses of dead fighters.
The report prompted a US military investigation into the alleged desecration of the corpses, which is in violation of the Geneva Convention.
The incident further undermined the United States's reputation, already tarnished by the sexual humiliation of prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and allegations of mistreatment of "war on terror" inmates at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
- AFP
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