LOC12:05
09:05 GMT
LONDON, Oct 3 (KUNA) -- An Afghan soldier "executed" a prisoner on a
British base in Helmand province, UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) documents
disclose Sunday.
It is understood that UK troops did not directly witness the killing but
were close by at the time.
British military investigators carried out an inquiry into the shooting of
the detainee on a small UK-controlled patrol base in Musa Qala in March.
It is believed that the Afghan soldier who carried out the killing was
handed over to the local authorities, although it is not clear what happened
to him.
Details of the incident emerged in a training manual for troops deploying
to Afghanistan released by the MoD as part of the Baha Mousa public inquiry
into abuse of Iraqi prisoners.
The document, which has a "restricted" security classification, outlines
how UK forces should treat detainees captured during operations.
Referring to the current situation in Afghanistan, it says: "Allegations of
detainee abuse by ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces) and Isaf (the
Nato-led International Security Assistance Force) troops continue - some
reported to ICRC (the International Commission of the Red Cross).
Campaigners have raised concerns about the treatment of Afghan prisoners
captured by British forces.
Anti-war activist Maya Evans brought a High Court challenge to the UK's
policy of transferring Taliban suspects to the Afghan authorities, saying it
had led to "horrible abuse" of detainees in violation of international law and
human rights.
In June, the court upheld the policy - but it banned the military from
handing over prisoners to Afghanistan's spy agency, the National Directorate
of Security, in Kabul, where there was a "real risk of torture or other
serious mistreatment".
Musa Qala was under control of soldiers from the Household Cavalry at the
time of the killing of the detainee in March. The district was handed over to
the US Marines shortly afterwards.
A massive programme to expand the Afghan security forces - the goal is that
their numbers should grow from fewer than 200,000 at the start of this year to
300,000 by the end of 2011 - is under way.
But concerns have been expressed about the quality and allegiance of some
recruits.
In July, an Afghan soldier murdered three British troops from 1st Battalion
The Royal Rifles at a base near Helmand's capital, Lashkar Gah.
In a related development, Britain has awarded nearly one million pounds to
Afghans in compensation for deaths, injuries and damage to property so far
this year, official figures reveal.
This includes 161,550 dollars (102,000 pounds) paid to the families of at
least 35 civilians killed as a result of NATO operations in Afghanistan.
Compensation claims relating to the deaths of another 17 Afghans are still
under investigation, data released by the Ministry of Defence in response to a
Freedom of Information request shows. (end)
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