A US soldier,Sergeant Robert Bales, 39, has admitted guilty to killing 16 Afghans last year in southern Afghanistan in March last year.
After making the plea on Wednesday, he described his actions for each killing in steady voice.
His lawyer said last week he would admit guilt in exchange for prosecutors not seeking his execution.When judge asked Bales why he killed 12 Afghanis, he responded that there was not a good reason in this world for why he did the horrible things.
Bales' lawyer John Browne announced last week that he had reached "an agreement with the military to take the death penalty off the table" if Bales would plead guilty.
To commit the killings, Bales allegedly left his base in the Panjwayi district of southern Kandahar province on the night of March 11, 2012. Nine of those killed were children. Bales allegedly set several of the bodies on fire.
Earlier, Al Jazeera interviewed Afghans who claimed to be victims of Bales' killing spree, which is known as the 'Kandahar massacre' in Afghanistan.
Samiullah, a relative of the victims, said Bales, killed women and children with incredible brutality.
No comments: