Global InformationOperation Burnham information
| Operation Burnham | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the War in Afghanistan | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 New Zealand Afghanistan United States |
 Taliban | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
60-70 NZSAS Afghan Crisis Response Unit 3 or more helicopters | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 NZSAS injured | Unknown | ||||||
Operation Burnham was a joint military operation undertaken by the New Zealand Special Air Service and elements of the Afghan Crisis Response Unit and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan's Tirgiran Valley on 21–22 October 2010. Operation Burnham became the subject of the investigative journalists Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson's book Hit & Run: The New Zealand SAS in Afghanistan and the meaning of honour, which alleged that New Zealand forces had committed war crimes against civilians in the Naik and Khak Khudday Dad villages.[1][2][3]
Though the New Zealand Defence Force initially denied that the operation had occurred in those villages, they subsequently confirmed that NZSAS forces had entered one of the villages mentioned in the book.[4][5][6] Media and public interest led to calls for an official inquiry, which was rejected by the-then Prime Minister Bill English.[7][8] In April 2018, Attorney-General David Parker of the Labour-led coalition government announced that the Government would be holding an inquiry into Operation Burnham and the allegations in Hit & Run.[1][9] In December 2018, the New Zealand Government confirmed that they would be holding an inquiry but that it would be held behind closed doors.[10][11]
In mid–June 2019, the Afghan villagers withdrew from the Operation Burnham inquiry, with their lawyer Deborah Manning citing that they had become disillusioned with the inquiry process.[12][13] In September 2019, the former Defence Force chief Sir Jerry Mateparae admitted that the Defence Force's briefings to the-then Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman had been inaccurate but denied that the military had engaged in a cover-up.[14][15] The Burnham Inquiry's report was released in late July 2020. While acknowledging that five people including a child had been killed during Operation Burnham, the report concluded that the NZ Defence Force had not covered up casualties and had abided by the rules of engagement and international law.[16][17]
- ^ a b Parker, David. "Approval for Inquiry into Operation Burnham". Scoop. New Zealand Government. Archived from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
- ^ "Operation Burnham information pack" (PDF). New Zealand Defence Force. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
- ^ Hager & Stephenson 2017, p. backcover,14-136.
- ^ Fisher, David (29 March 2017). "NZSAS raid: Errors emerge in location and names of Hit & Run villages". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ Broughton, Cate (13 March 2018). "Defence Force admits book location right, but denies civilian casualties". Stuff. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
- ^ Jones, Nicholas (13 March 2018). "Hit & Run raid: Defence Force acknowledges 'confusion' on civilian casualty statements". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
- ^ Edwards, Bryce (22 March 2017). "Political Roundup: The hardest hitting responses to Nicky Hager's book 'Hit and run". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ Sachdeva, Sam (27 March 2017). "Bill English says SAS inquiry unlikely after Defence Force attacks Hit and Run 'inaccuracies". Stuff. Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ "Government to hold inquiry on Operation Burnham after allegations in book Hit & Run". 1 News. 11 April 2018. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
- ^ "Govt inquiry into Operation Burnham will be mostly secret". Radio New Zealand. 21 December 2018. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
- ^ Fisher, David (21 December 2018). "Some public hearings on Operation Burnham mission but secrecy will govern the NZSAS inquiry". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 6 February 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
- ^ "Operation Burnham Inquiry: 'Disillusioned, worn down' Afghan villagers pull out". The New Zealand Herald. 18 June 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^ "Afghan villagers pull out of Operation Burnham inquiry". Radio New Zealand. 18 June 2019. Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
NZH 16 Sep 2019was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
RNZ 16 Sep 2019was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Operation Burnham report: NZDF 'deeply sorry' for misleading ministers and public". Radio New Zealand. 31 July 2020. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ Manch, Thomas (31 July 2020). "Operation Burnham inquiry: Child was likely killed, SAS soldiers misled, prisoner was tortured". Stuff. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.