U.S. officials deny Swedish hospital was 'stormed'

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is disputing a report by a Swedish charity that alleged U.S. soldiers stormed one of the charity's hospitals in Afghanistan in search for Taliban fighters.

Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division searched the hospital in Wardak Province in east-central Afghanistan with the permission of hospital administrators, two senior defense officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk on the record.

The troops were searching for a militant they believed was hiding in the hospital after taking part in a nearby roadside bombing attack on a convoy that killed a civilian, one official said.

Officials of the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, which operates the hospital, said Monday that soldiers stormed the facility last week, breaking down doors, and tying up staff and visitors.

But the U.S. Defense Department officials said Tuesday that troops went to the hospital with Afghan security police, got agreement from hospital administrators for a search and did not break doors, but rather broke the lock off one door after being told no one had the key.

The search did not turn up the Taliban they were searching for.