Lawyers for Afghan families affected by raids allegedly carried out by elite Kiwi soldiers in 2010 believe there may be a case against New Zealand for violations of international human rights law and war crimes.
The families of 21 Afghan civilians killed and injured in the raids are touched their loved ones are being acknowledged, human rights lawyer Deborah Manning says.
Ms Manning, Rodney Harrison QC and Richard McLeod have been instructed by the families to ask the government to investigate allegations in a book released on Tuesday that the New Zealand SAS led raids that killed six and injured 15.
Hit and Run, by war correspondent Jon Stephenson and investigative reporter Nicky Hager claim the raids were revenge for the death of Lieutenant Tim O'Donnell, killed by a roadside bomb less than three weeks earlier.
Ms Manning said the families, including that of a three-year-old girl, asked Mr Stephenson to find a lawyer in New Zealand who could make a case for them and she accepted.
"I spoke very recently to the villagers and spoke to them about what has been occurring in New Zealand, the huge public discussion and concern that we've all seen and the villagers first of all would like to convey their thanks to the public," she said on Friday.
"They are very touched, in particular that little Fatima is being acknowledged, because she was a very beloved child in that village."
Mr McLeod said the lawyers had written to Attorney-General Chris Finlayson and Prime Minister Bill English on Friday morning "informing them that in our view the material that has been released to date established credible allegations that during the course of their attack on these villages in 2010 the New Zealand Defence Forces breached fundamental principles of both New Zealand law and international law, including war crimes and violations of the right to life".
They're the latest group to call for an independent inquiry, following calls from the authors, Labour, the Green Party and NZ First.
The government has so far resisted the calls but has not yet ruled out an inquiry.
Mr English will meet with Defence Force Chief Tim Keating and Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee on Sunday, after their return from Iraq.
Lt-Gen Keating has strongly defended the SAS against the allegations, and also said his staff had found nothing in the book that required investigating.
The Defence Force has maintained the same position since 2011 - that an investigation found claims of civilian casualties were unfounded.
