American military officials now believe that Staff Sergeant Robert Bales committed the murder of 17 Afghan civilians in two separate incidents, sources told the AP. While this scenario would mean that Bales had more time to commit the alleged crime, it also implies that Bales somehow left the base undetected twice. An Afghan parliamentary team still believes that as many as 20 American soldiers were responsible.
Bales, who was formally charged by the military on Friday, allegedly left the U.S. military base the first time armed with a 9mm handgun and an M-4 rifle outfitted with a grenade launcher.
The AP also reports that the U.S. has paid $50,000 in compensation for each Afghan civilian killed to the victim's family. Six others were wounded, and they each received $11,000. A Kandahar provincial councilmember told the outlet that the families "were told the money came from U.S. president Barack Obama."
"As the settlement of claims is in most cases a sensitive topic for those who have suffered loss, it is usually a matter of agreement that the terms of the settlement remain confidential," a spokesman for NATO and the U.S. military said.
