YIKES

U.S., Czech Forces Probed After Afghan Prisoner Beaten, Died in Custody: Report

Afghan officials say Wahidullah Khan was “beaten” and “unconscious” when he was returned.

American and Czech forces are under investigation after an Afghan commando was returned to Afghan custody “beaten up” and later died, The New York Times reports. Wahidullah Khan was reportedly accused of killing a Czech soldier in an October “insider attack” targeting NATO troops at a western Afghan air base. Khan was subsequently arrested by Afghan troops and reportedly taken into custody by Western forces. By the time Khan was turned over to Afghan forces hours later, he was reportedly “beaten” and “unconscious.” The Times reports Khan died shortly after, and Afghan officials now say they don’t know if U.S. or Czech forces were responsible for his injuries. An Afghan official also told the newspaper Khan was considered a “Taliban infiltrator” by the government, but Khan’s family denied he was involved with the Taliban. Czech forces “strongly” denied involvement in the beating. An American official cited by the Times said a team from the Army’s 7th Special Forces Group involved in Khan’s transfer was “withdrawn from Afghanistan” during the investigation, but it wasn't immediately clear if any American service members were accused of involvement in the alleged beating.

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