New Zealand military misled public over civilian deaths in Afghanistan

A new report into a deadly incursion by New Zealand’s forces in Afghanistan says the military misled senior leaders, government ministers and the public over the civilian casualties ten years ago.

The government conducted an inquiry into a raid, dubbed “Operation Burnham” that was carried out by the New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) on August, 21-22, 2010 in Tirgiran Valley, Afghanistan.

According to the findings, an Afghan child was among at least eight people killed in the helicopter-backed raid.

“While there was no organized institutional strategy to cover up civilian casualties, between 2010 and 2017, NZDF made a series of incorrect and misleading statements in briefings to ministers and in public statements, to the effect that the allegations of civilian casualties had been investigated and found to be 'baseless' or 'unfounded'," said the report.

For years, the NZDF insisted that reports of civilian casualties were baseless.

Defense Force Chief Air Marshal Kevin Short admitted on Friday that there had been "organizational and administrative failings.”

“NZDF acknowledges and regrets these mistakes," Short said.

The report said that NZDF also failed to adequately remedy its incorrect statements and advice, even after it knew they were wrong.

The New Zealand forces operated as part of US-led forces in Afghanistan. The United States led a military coalition of its allies in 2001 to invade Afghanistan and topple the Taliban regime.

The militants now control or hold influence over more Afghan territory than at any point since that time and have carried out near-daily attacks against US-led foreign forces and Afghan military outposts throughout the country.

Over 100,000 people have been killed or injured since 2009, when the UN mission in Afghanistan began documenting casualties.

Three-day truce begins in Afghanistan

A three-day ceasefire between Taliban and government forces began on Friday for the Muslim religious holiday of Eid al-Adha.

As the ceasefire begins, hundreds of worshipers gather at mosques across the capital Kabul, for the Eid prayers.

The truce, which is the third official ceasefire in nearly 19 years of war, has raised hopes for peace talks to be resumed between Kabul and Taliban.

The intra-Afghan talks have repeatedly been delayed as the Taliban continue their attacks across the nation. The peace talks, which were abandoned by the Taliban back in April, were initially supposed to have started in March in the Qatari capital, Doha.

President Ashraf Ghani and the Taliban have both signaled that the negotiations could begin straight after the Eid holidays.

US special representative on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, is currently visiting regional players, including the president, to push for a ceasefire extension.

He said earlier this month that “large numbers” of Afghans continue to die without a reason.

“Violence has been high, especially in recent days and weeks,” he said.

President Ghani also said this week that more than 3,500 Afghan troops and nearly 800 civilians had been killed since a peace deal was signed between the Taliban and the US in late February, in Doha.