WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Media reports soon surfaced claiming the hospital had been targeted because Taliban fighters had been treated there.
"A hospital is a protected facility, we would not target a hospital," Campbell said when asked whether there was ever a scenario in which the United States would justify targeting a medical facility.
Campbell argued even if members of the Taliban had been treated at the hospital in Kunduz, US officials would have had no justification to authorize an attack.
"When the Afghans call for fire that's not an automatic response <…> that has to go through a rigorous procedure to put aerial fires on ground — a US process under the US authorities," Campbell explained.
Campbell admitted earlier in the week that the decision to launch the airstrike was made by US Command and Control.
The Obama administration then announced it had launched a multi-level investigation comprised of NATO, Pentagon as well as Afghan and US officials to look into the details of the attack.
The administration pledged the investigation would be as thorough and transparent as possible, and would hold people accountable if needed.
However, Doctors Without Borders has vowed to begin its own independent investigation.
