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National | John Key

Key denies SAS involvement in civillian deaths in Afghanistan

An attack on a village in the Baghlan area of Afghanistan nearly four years ago, which involved New Zealand SAS troops, is now being questioned as allegations of a cover-up have surfaced.

Defence Minister at the time Wayne Mapp denied any civilian deaths.

However it looks as though Prime Minister John Key was told a slightly different version of the story.

“I was briefed when that mission went ahead and the advice I was given is that there were no civilians killed by New Zealanders.”

“We don’t discuss in detail SAS operations, but what we do say categorically is that no NZ soldier was involved in killing civilians.”

During the attacks a three-year-old Afghanistan girl died after a piece of the exploding rocket hit her in the head.

So as it stands it appears, John Key and the Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman are wiping their hands clean, insisting that no NZ troops killed any civilians.

After John Key's recent visit to the White House, there's no doubt Key would be quick to avoid questioning any of the US' involvement in the killings.