Video released of New Zealand SAS raid on Afghanistan village in 2010

June 28, 2019

The footage shows people on the ground who appear to be armed, and helicopters firing on people.

Investigative journalist Nicky Hager has obtained and released videos from the Operation Burnham raid in Afghanistan in 2010. 

The footage was taken from an American aircraft and released to Mr Hager after a request to American authorities, through a lawyer in Washington DC. 

The videos show people on the ground of Khak Khuday Dad village who appear to be carrying weapons and helicopters firing upon some individuals, leaving them dead or wounded. 

In a briefing to media, Nicky Hager said there has always been a big question since the book Hit & Run came out about what was on the "secret videos". He says the videos do not show what the Defence Force has said they show. 

Insurgents may have been present during the NZ SAS raid in Afghanistan in 2010 in which civilians died.

While media were shown extended portions of the videos, only some have been made available for the public. 

"The idea is to stop more sensational pictures of people being killed going on the internet. We want to be upfront about what's available but not get that stuff into the public realm," Mr Hagar said. 

Mr Hager and fellow journalist Jon Stevenson wrote the book Hit & Run outlining Operation Burnham and New Zealand's part in it. Last week Mr Stevenson walked back a key claim of the book revealing he has since spoken to Afghan insurgents who admitted to being in the area of the second village during the raid. 

The videos were amongst a trove of documents held by American authorities not publicly available until now. 

The Operation Burnham raid is at the centre of a $7 million Government inquiry underway at the moment, looking to uncover the truth over the alleged killing of six civillians and the injuring of 15 others.

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