U.S. pays $50,000 per person to Afghan families for Bales' shooting

The United States has paid $50,000 in compensation for each Afghan person killed by Staff Sergeant Robert Bales in southern Afghanistan two weeks ago, according to The Associated Press.

Kandahar provincial council member Agha Lalai and community Jan Agha confirmed that the victim's families received payments Saturday, with those who were wounded also receiving compensation in the form of $11,000. A U.S. official would not confirm or deny the amount paid out but did indicated that payments have been made to families. NATO and U.S. forces also would not specify any payments, citing their usual practice of keeping information private.

The families previously received compensation, $2,000 for each death and $1,000 for each person wounded, from Afghan officials.

Bales has been charged with the murder of 17 Afghan civilians, while local officials and villagers in the town of Balandi counted 16 dead.

The New York Timesreported Sunday through an unofficial source that Bales committed the shootings in two separate operations.