Contractors investigated in shooting of Afghan civilians

From Mike Mount and Suzanne Simons
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) - The U.S. military in Afghanistan is investigating a group of military contractors who shot and wounded two Afghan civilians in Kabul earlier this month, according to the military.

The contractors worked for a company called Paravant, which is affiliated with Xe, the new company name for the security contractor Blackwater Worldwide, according to sources familiar with the incident. Paravant is owned by Erik Prince, who is also the owner of Xe.

"The contractors were involved in a vehicle accident in Kabul at approximately 9 p.m. May 5. While stopped for the vehicle accident, the contractors were approached by a vehicle in a manner the contractors felt threatening," according to a U.S. military press release.

"The contractors fired upon the vehicle, reportedly wounding two Afghans," the statement said.

The wounded Afghans were taken to a hospital, according to the release.

The press release did not identify the contracting company. A spokesman for the U.S. Military's Central Command, which oversees combat in Afghanistan, said, "Because the incident remains under investigation, there's no further information available beyond the information in the press release."

But a senior source in the contracting industry said that, while off duty, the four contractors were allegedly drinking before the accident.

Anne Tyrrell, a spokeswoman for Xe, the parent company of Paravant, said the company was aware of the incident in Afghanistan involving the four contractors, but was unable to provide specific details for legal reasons.

She said Xe is also conducting its own investigation.

Tyrrell said Xe has terminated the contracts with the four involved for failure to follow standards and regulations set by Xe and all four have been instructed by Xe not to leave the country without the permission of the Department of Defense, Tyrrell said.