Death toll rises in attack on Doctors Without Borders

Show Caption Hide Caption Doctors Without Borders leaves Afghan city after airstrike Doctors Without Borders withdrew from the northern Afghan city of Kunduz after a U.S. airstrike destroyed its hospital early Saturday. The group also stated that the death toll has grown to 22 people.

Doctors Without Borders withdrew Sunday from the northern Afghan city of Kunduz and said the death toll increased to 22 from a U.S. airstrike that destroyed its hospital early Saturday.

U.S. and NATO officials promised a swift investigation into the strike, and controversy quickly swirled.

The Pentagon issued a statement saying U.S. forces were conducting an airstrike in Kunduz against "insurgents who were directly firing upon U.S. servicemembers advising and assisting Afghan Security Forces." The statement said the strike took place "in the vicinity" of the Doctors Without Borders hospital.

Afghanistan Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi has said that up to 15 insurgents were shooting from the hospital.

Kate Stegeman, a spokesperson for Doctors Without Borders, denied the claim. The compound gate was closed all night, Stegeman said, and "only staff, patients and caretakers were inside when bombing occurred." The Taliban, in a statement, also said none of its fighters were there at the time of the airstrike.

NATO has directed a preliminary multinational investigation, and an initial report could be issued within days, the Pentagon said. The U.S. military also is conducting a thorough probe, the statement said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, traveling in Spain, promised a full and transparent investigation, telling reporters that the situation is “confused and complicated” right now, the AP reported.

Stegeman said 12 hospital staff and 10 patients were killed in the attack. She said the hospital is no longer functional and some staff were working in two other health facilities in other cities where some of the wounded were sent. Dozens of people were injured in the attack.

President Obama expressed his "deepest condolences" to those killed and injured and promised a thorough investigation.

In a tweet to Obama and the Defense Department on Sunday, Doctors Without Borders executive director Jason Cone wrote: "condolences won't bring back 12 @MSF dead colleagues. We need answers & independent investigation."

Doctors Without Borders said the hospital was hit several times during "sustained bombing." Its president called it a "grave violation of international humanitarian law," and the United Nation's top human rights official said it may prove to be a war crime.

The Taliban seized the besieged city of 300,000 last week but gave back some ground when government forces swept back into the area. Fighting has continued, and the city has struggled to maintain basic services.

The office of Gen. John Campbell, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said the strike was conducted against insurgents firing on U.S. servicemembers, who have been advising and assisting Afghan security forces in their effort to clear the area of insurgents.

"While we work to thoroughly examine the incident and determine what happened, my thoughts and prayers are with those affected," Campbell said. "As always, we will take all reasonable steps to protect civilians from harm."