Trump pardons two US soldiers over Afghan war crimes cases: White House

Washington, Nov 16 (Sputnik) US President Donald Trump has pardoned two American soldiers for cases related to war crimes in Afghanistan, the White House said in a press release.

“Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Grant of Clemency (Full Pardon) for Army First Lieutenant Clint Lorance, an Executive Grant of Clemency (Full Pardon) for Army Major Mathew Golsteyn,” the release said on Friday.

Lorance was convicted on several charges for ordering his men to engage three men approaching the troops on a motorcycle with “unusual speed,” the release said. Lorance has served more than six years of a 19-year sentence he received for the incident that occurred in Afghanistan in 2012.

Golsteyn is currently set to stand trial for an allegedly unlawful killing after he killed a detained terrorist in Afghanistan due to concerns the detainee’s bomb-making activities would continue to threaten American troops.

Moreover, Trump restored the rank of Navy Seal Edward Gallagher who was recently acquitted of serious charges in a war crimes case.