U.S. atrocities alleged

Kabul

U.S. forces in Afghanistan tortured Afghan prisoners, and at least six of those prisoners died, Human Rights Watch said this week. “The government’s failure to hold its personnel accountable for serious abuses has spawned a culture of impunity” among U.S. forces, said Brad Adams, head of the watchdog’s Asian branch. The group said prisoners claimed to have been beaten and burned; some detainees said their toenails had been ripped out. Human Rights Watch also said that many Afghan prisoners were being illegally held incommunicado, and that earlier complaints of mistreatment had been ignored. The Pentagon said it was investigating all deaths of detainees as well as all credible abuse claims.

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