News of the Day for Sunday, March 11, 2012

A U.S. soldier left his base in Panjway district, Kandahar province, and entered the village of Belanji where he went on a murderous rampage. According to the NYT, villagers say he killed 15 civilians and injured 5, by shooting into houses. He then returned to his base and is in custody. According to Daily News and Analysis of India, an Afghan government minister says he entered three houses and killed 16 people. (Other accounts give lower death tolls.)

Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi asks for restraint as the investigation takes place, fearing violent protests. A member of parliament from the area, Abdul Rahim Ahyoubi, says the death toll is 17, and gives a different name for the village, Alokozai.

An AP photographer has seen the bodies of 15 slain civilians.

The U.S. House Oversight Committee on Foreign Affairs and Investigations has called for the Government Accountability Office to investigate alleged theft of foreign aid by president Karzai and his family. The U.S. embassy has distanced itself from the letter, saying it is the personal view of committee Chair Dana Rohrbacher. I'm no fan of Rohrbacher, but there have been plenty of published reports implicating Karzai's brother in embezzlement. - C

Khaama discusses the ongoing talks about future strategic relations between the U.S. and Afghanistan. Karzai says the question of permanent U.S. bases will be discussed later, after other questions are worked out. (Wait -- I thought we were leaving?)

Given the great importance and likely repercussions of the incident in Kandahar, I will do an update later today if there is significant further information or reaction. -- C

Iraq Update

Gunmen break into a house in the village of Mishada, north of Baghdad, and kill five members of a family. The target appeared to be a bodyguard of the mayor of nearby Tarmiyah.

Milias are targeting people identified with the "Emo" subculture in Iraq, and 58 people have been killed. Apparently it is believed that they are gay. "Officials and human rights groups estimated as many as 58 Iraqis who are either gay or believed to be gay have been killed in the last six weeks alone - forecasting what experts fear is a return to the rampant hate crimes against homosexuals in 2009. This year, eyewitnesses and human rights groups say some of the victims have been bludgeoned to death by militiamen smashing in their skulls with heavy cement blocks."