German general resigns amid Afghan scandal

BERLIN, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- German Gen. Wolfgang Schneiderhan resigned amid allegations he did not provide enough information regarding a deadly attack in Afghanistan, an official said.

German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg informed the German Parliament that Schneiderhan left his post after allegedly failing to give appropriate information regarding Sept. 4 air strike in Afghanistan's Kunduz Province that killed dozens of civilians, the BBC reported Thursday.

Peter Wichert, a senior Defense Ministry official, also resigned his post.

The NATO air strike, which was ordered by a German commander, was focused on two fuel tankers that Taliban forces had captured.

In the wake of the attack, then-German Foreign Minister Franz Josef Jung maintained no civilians died as a result of the air strike.

The German newspaper Bild said a confidential army video and a military report suggest German Col. Georg Klein was aware of the potential of civilian casualties prior to ordering the air strike.

The report shows the defense ministry knew there were clear indications of civilian deaths following the air strike, Bild said..