In Defence news, Doctors Without Borders says it has withdrawn from Kunduz, in Afghanistan, after an air strike by US-led NATO forces allegedly destroyed the city’s hospital and killed 22 people. It is reported that the charity is calling for an independent inquiry into the potential ‘war crime’, while the US has confirmed it is investigating the incident.
Syria
It is widely reported, including in The Independent, that Russia has faced criticism from NATO countries as it intensifies its bombardment of militant targets in Syria.
Last week the governments of France, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UK and USA called on Russia to immediately cease its attacks on the Syrian opposition and civilians, and to focus its efforts on fighting ISIL. Read the joint declaration on Russian military action in Syria.
Help to Buy
The Daily Telegraph reports the Defence Secretary’s announcement that the Armed Forces Help to Buy scheme will be extended.
Forces Help to Buy allows military personnel to borrow a deposit of up to half of their annual salary towards buying a home. The £200m scheme is now half-way through its three-year trial.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
We are making sure that the unsung heroes, our service families, can enjoy the stability and security of owning their home. As of today, our Forces Help to Buy scheme has enabled five thousand people to buy their home: I want to double that to ten thousand ‘homes for heroes’ in the next 12 months.
Read more about the Forces Help to Buy scheme.
Officer affairs
It is widely reported that three married British officers will be questioned as part of an investigation into allegations that they had affairs with a female civil servant. Our position is below.
A MOD spokesperson said:
As has been previously stated, this matter is being investigated. This is ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment further with regard to what action has taken place or to provide details of the individuals reported to have been involved. We would ask that the personal privacy of individual civilian and military personnel is respected.
Germany
The Times reports that Britain will delay bringing its last 5,000 soldiers home from Germany by at least a year in order to postpone the cost of building a new base for them in Wiltshire.
A MOD spokesperson said:
We are currently carrying out a five-yearly Strategic Defence and Security Review so it is only sensible to look at ongoing defence projects and make sure they align with our objectives. However, the Government’s commitment to bring back the Army from Germany remains unchanged.
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