KABUL (SW): The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has condemned in the strongest terms the tragic and devastating air strike on the Médecins sans Frontières hospital in Kunduz early this morning, which resulted in the deaths and injury of medical personnel, patients and other civilians.
I commend Médecins sans Frontières for their work. Our condolences are with them, their patients, family and friends, said Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA. I reiterate my call on all parties to the conflict to respect and protect medical and humanitarian personnel and facilities, he added.
At 2.10am on Saturday October 03, the Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF) Trauma centre in Kunduzwas hit several times during sustained bombing and was very badly damaged, three MSF staff are confirmed dead and more than 30 are unaccounted for, the charity organization said. The medical team is working around the clock to do everything possible for the safety of patients and hospital staff.
“We are deeply shocked by the attack, the killing of our staff and patients and the heavy toll it has inflicted on healthcare in Kunduz,”says Bart Janssens, MSF Director of Operations. “We do not yet have the final casualty figures, but our medical teams are providing first aid and treating the injured patients and MSF personnel and accounting for the deceased.We urge all parties to respect the safety of health facilities and staff.” he added.
Colonel Brian Tribus, a spokesman for U.S. Forces in Afghanistan has said the U.S. forces conducted an airstrike in Kunduz city at 2:15am (local), Oct. 3, against individuals threatening the force. The strike may have resulted in collateral damage to a nearby medical facility, this incident is under investigation, he noted in a message.
Since fighting broke out on Monday, MSF has treated 394 wounded. When the aerial attack occurred this morning we had 105 patients and their care-takers in the hospital and over 80 MSF international and national staff present, the statement issued by the MSF noted.
MSF’s hospital is the only facility of its kind in the whole north-eastern region of Afghanistan, providing free life- and limb-saving trauma care. MSF doctors treat all people according to their medical needs and do not make distinctions based on a patient’s ethnicity, religious beliefs or political affiliation.
MSF started working in Afghanistan in 1980. In Kunduz, just like in the rest of Afghanistan, both national and international staff work together to ensure the best quality of treatment. MSF supports the Ministry of Public Health in Ahmad Shah Baba hospital in eastern Kabul, Dasht-e-Barchi maternity in western Kabul and Boost hospital in LashkarGah, Helmand province. In Khost, in the east of the country, MSF operates a maternity hospital.
MSF relies only on private funding for its work in Afghanistan and does not accept money from any government.
ENDS
