The Ministry of Interior (MoI) said on Tuesday night that eight police officers would be prosecuted in a military court after being arrested for killing six children swimming in the Larkhab river in northern Baghlan province on Sunday.
"The officers were arrested for the abuse of office in firing a rocket propelled grenade in Dushi district of Baghlan while fishing," said the Ministry in a statement. "But the rocket hit an area that killed six children and injured two others who were swimming."
On Monday, TOLOnews reported that the policemen were reportedly using their grenade launcher to fish when a round went off-target and landed on the opposite side of the river, near the group of kids.
Local officials said that the six boys who were killed were between the ages of nine and fourteen. The two other children who suffered injuries were a girl and another boy.
No details were offered as to whether the officers were members of the Afghan National Police (ANP) or the Afghan Local Police (ALP), however, once their trial comes underway that information is likely to be revealed.
Making use of explosives – whether loose or weaponised – for fishing is not uncommon in Afghanistan. Many have raised the issue as a matter of concern for both environmental and safety reasons.