Polish soldiers accused of unlawfully mortaring Afghan village to remain in custody

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.polskieradio.pl/thenews/foreign-affairs/?id=75752

Soldiers in Afghan shooting to remain in custody

13.02.2008 10:58

The Military Court in Warsaw has prolonged detention for another three months of seven Polish soldiers arrested on suspicion of unlawfully mortaring an Afghan village and killing civilians.

The prosecutors say they need more time to collect evidence and interrogate more witnesses.

The soldiers claim they were only obeying orders and that the village was a Taliban base and they opened fire in self-defence. snip

The incident occurred on August 16, 2007. The Polish soldiers mortared the Nangar Khel village in Paktika Province, southeastern Afghanistan, where allegedly Taliban were hiding out. Mortars hit a building where a wedding party was being held and six people were killed. (jm