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Nov 26, 2009

Germany's top soldier quits over Afghanistan raid (Compiled)

Germany's top soldier has resigned over a Nato air strike in Afghanistan in which civilians are thought to have died, the defence minister said.

Wolfgang Schneiderhan stood down over the 4 September attack in Kunduz on fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban.

His decision followed reports that information about the strike - ordered by a German commander - was withheld, the defence minister said.

The strike is thought to have killed dozens of civilians collecting fuel.

Taliban fighters had seized the two tankers while they were being driven from Tajikistan to supply Nato forces in Kabul.

Reports said that villagers were taking fuel from the tankers when the strike happened.

According to the independent Afghanistan Rights Monitor group, up to 70 civilians died.

Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg told parliament that Gen Schneiderhan had failed to provide proper information about the incident.

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