US TROOPS ATTACK AFGHAN VILLAGE, RAPE WOMEN

     Teheran, 20 Muharram 1434/ 04 December 2012 (FNA/MINA)- The US forces in Afghanistan raided a village and raped a large group of women, Afghan media reports disclosed on Sunday.
     The US forces launched night raid on a village in Chahar Bolak district in Balkh province and raped a large number of women there.
     The US forces then warned to stage similar attacks in future in case the villagers complained to relevant officials or spoke to anyone about crime, Afghanistan Information Network reported.
     The US military has already launched deadly attacks on Afghan citizens during its 11-year presence in Afghanistan.
US trooper Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, who was accused of killing 16 Afghan villagers, including nine children, in Afghanistan’s Kandahar Province on March 11, faced 16 counts of murder, six of attempted murder, seven of assault, two of using drugs, and one of drinking alcohol on duty.
     Bales was the only American soldier charged over the killings. However, witnesses and an Afghan fact-finding commission have said that at least 20 troops were involved in the slaughter. (T/R-011/R-006)