Afghan war leak may have severe consequences: Robert Gates

The unprecedented leak of secret US military reports this week about the war in Afghanistan could have potentially severe consequences for American troops and their allies, and could cost people their lives, US defence secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday.

In response to the release of the documents by the organisation WikiLeaks, Gates said he had asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to assist in the criminal investigation and has clamped down on access in the field to sensitive information to reduce the risk of another leak of internal military reports.

"The battlefield consequences of the release of these documents are potentially severe and dangerous for our troops, our allies, and Afghan partners and may well damage our relationships and reputation in that key part of the world," Gates said.