Soldier Accused Of Afghanistan Villager Killings Flown Out Of Country

The U.S. soldier who allegedly shot and killed at least 16 Afghan civilians has been flown out of the country, a Pentagon spokesman said Wednesday.

The staff sergeant was taken to a non-European country other than the U.S., Navy Capt. John Kirby said. While he declined to name the location, the Associated Press, citing an unnamed U.S. official, said the suspect was in Kuwait.

The soldier, whose name hasn't been disclosed, was moved because we don't have the type of detention facility in Afghanistan to hold a U.S. service member for any length of time, Kirby said in an interview reported by Bloomberg Businessweek. The detention facilities in Afghanistan are intended for enemy combatants. Our own regulations and policies don't allow us to keep a U.S. service member there.