Washington, Nov. 18 (ANI): A damning report exposing the causes of a surge in 'insider attacks' by Afghan troops was suppressed by military commanders.
Nato chiefs were warned last year, in a document they commissioned, that the attacks were 'part of a growing and systematic threat' that was undermining the war effort.
The report, from Dr Jeffrey Bordin, an American behavioural scientist, was however declared secret, and he was removed from his job and forced to leave Afghanistan.
The report contained a series of warnings about the risk from Afghan forces to their western allies.
It said that attacks were not 'isolated incidents', as had been suggested by both British and US commanders, but were part of a worsening trend.
According to the telegraph, it added that the attacks were the result of a 'crisis of trust' between Afghan and NATO troops that was not being acknowledged by senior commanders.
Days after the report was published, in May last year, Dr Bordin's research was roundly criticised by the military and the document was classified 'Secret'.
Senior officers at the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) described the document's findings as "inconsistent with our assessment", and said that the study was "was systematically flawed and suffered from generalisations, narrow sample sets, unprofessional rhetoric, and sensationalism", the report said.
By declaring it secret, it could not be shared among officers across Afghanistan.
Dr Bordin strongly criticised the decision to keep it secret.
"That was the height of immoral behaviour," he said, adding: "I have knowledge that can help save American lives and I was ordered not to give that information out to another military entity".
Almost 18 months after the report was published, senior NATO commanders are now re-evaluating its contents and putting some of Dr Bordin's suggestions into action, the report added. (ANI)
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