The government of Afghanistan says reprimands of U.S. soldiers involved in burning the bodies of two dead Taleban insurgents is a very lenient punishment.
The U.S. military said Saturday that the soldiers will face disciplinary action over the incident, but will not be prosecuted.
It said an investigation concluded the troops burned the bodies for hygienic purposes, but that junior officers who ordered the cremation will be reprimanded for showing a lack of cultural and religious understanding.
The Afghan Foreign Ministry said that whatever the purpose and the reason, the burning of human bodies is unacceptable to Islam and local traditions, and by no means should be repeated.
News of the incident surfaced last month when an Australian television channel aired a video purportedly showing the American soldiers burning the bodies of two militants they had killed near Kandahar.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
