U.S. Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, has faulted a decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to probe alleged war crimes by his country in Afghanistan.
In a statement on Thursday, Pompeo described the decision as a “truly breathtaking action by an unaccountable political institution, masquerading as a legal body.”
Earlier on Thursday, the ICC gave its prosecutors nod to open the investigation, targeting current and former U.S. military, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and diplomatic personnel.
Reports said the probe would also cover activities of the Taliban and Afghan government forces also for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“Today, the ICC Appeals Chamber authorised an investigation into the alleged activities of the Taliban and U.S. and Afghan personnel related to Afghanistan.
“This is a truly truly breathtaking action by an unaccountable political institution, masquerading as a legal body.
“It is all the more reckless for this ruling to come just days after the United States signed a historic peace deal on Afghanistan – the best chance for peace in a generation.
“Indeed, the Afghan government, itself, pleaded with the ICC to not take this course. But the ICC politicians had other goals,” he said.
Pompeo said his country was not a party to the ICC, and would take no chances in protecting its citizens from “this renegade, so-called court.
“This is yet another reminder of what happens when multilateral bodies lack oversight and responsible leadership, and become instead, a vehicle for political vendettas.
“The ICC has today stumbled into a sorry affirmation of every denunciation made by its harshest critics over the past three decades,” he fumed.(NAN)
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