Soldiers charged over Afghan deaths

Polish prosecutors said today they had charged seven soldiers over the shooting to death of six Afghan civilians.

Polish prosecutors said today they had charged seven soldiers over the shooting to death of six Afghan civilians.

Prosecutor Karol Frankowski said the killings, which took place in August, were not accidental and did not happen in response to any life endangering situation.

Previously authorities had reported that the civilians were killed by Polish soldiers during an exchange of fire with Taliban insurgents but the prosecutor said today  the shooting in an Afghan village was not a response to any attack.

"There wasn't any situation or anything which could indicate a danger to their lives or to lives of any other soldiers," Mr Frankowski told a news conference in Warsaw. "Women and children were also victims of this shooting."