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Canadian soldier allegedly killed unarmed, wounded Taliban
Ottawa (AFP) Jan 6, 2009 A Canadian officer allegedly shot to death an unarmed and severely wounded Taliban insurgent in Afghanistan's Helmand province, a military court heard Tuesday. Captain Robert Semrau, 35, was leading a group of Canadian and Afghan soldiers in Helmand province when they were ambushed by presumed Taliban insurgents on October 19, according to court documents. A US helicopter gunship helped rout the attack and the soldiers soon moved on, but not before stumbling upon a "severely wounded male insurgent" clutching an assault rifle. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service said it charged Semrau with one count of second-degree murder for "shooting, with intent to kill, an unarmed male person." The court heard the insurgent had been disarmed by one of the Afghan soldiers in Semrau's company before he was killed. "Captain Semrau was (then) observed to be the only person in close proximity to the severely wounded insurgent. During this period, two shots were heard and at least one witness reports that he saw Captain Semrau firing his rifle at the severely wounded insurgent," said court documents. The prosecution said it believes Semrau fired both shots without lawful justification, killing the wounded man. However, the court documents also state that the insurgent's "wounds appeared too severe for any type of treatment." The body was left behind and was never recovered. Canada has about 2,750 soldiers serving among the nearly 70,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan under NATO and US command. They are deployed mainly in Kandahar province, where the Taliban insurgency is fierce. One hundred-six Canadians have been killed in the country since 2006. Semrau was a member of NATO's Operational Mentor and Liaison Team, mentoring Afghan soldiers, at the time of the death on October 19. During that period Canadian soldiers were facing an increasingly tough insurgency as they defended key positions in Helmand province. Semrau is now awaiting a decision on bail as he awaits trial. Share This Article With Planet Earth
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