In response to media reports that US soldiers were instructed to ignore acts of sexual abuse by Afghan soldiers and officials, the Pentagon’s Inspector General disclosed that his office opened its own probe into the matter.
In a Defense Department memorandum released Tuesday, Deputy Inspector General Kenneth Moorefield highlighted five areas that investigators will focus on, including an effort to ascertain whether the department had any guidance, “informal or otherwise,” that would have discouraged soldiers from reporting abuse.
The New York Times reported in September than an “American policy of nonintervention” deterred soldiers from intervening or reporting sexual predation in order to preserve good relations with local Afghan commanders. Military brass denied that any such accommodation existed.
IG Moorefield stated this his fact-finding mission will also focus on what type of training department personnel received in identifying and responding to child sexual abuse.
His office is also interested in digging up data on how many allegations of abuse against Afghan officials were reported to department agencies and the Afghan government, and what actions were taken in response.
“We plan to begin our research on this subject immediately,” Moorefield reported.
