Australian government re-opens soldier death enquiry

Egypt News.Net
Saturday 26th July, 2008

Th Australian government has begun a new investigation into the death of one of its soldiers earlier this month in Afghanistan.

The soldier was injured and later died after an attack 25 kilometres north of the capital Kabul.

An Australian newspaper has reported that Dutch medics treating the soldier were delayed in getting the injured man to hospital.

The Dutch medics have alleged a helicopter, which could have carried the injured man, was unable to fly because US forces refused to assign a helicopter gunship to escort it.

According to witnesses, US controllers forgot an assigned Apache escort helicopter was undergoing maintenance.

The soldier reportedly bled to death because of the delay in being evacuated.

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