Soldiers apologize for abusing dog

The two soldiers who were caught on video abusing a dog and throwing it down a cliff in a video that went viral on social media at the weekend apologized in a statement on Monday, saying it was an “unfortunate incident” and they did not mean to harm the animal.

The two men claimed that they were taking daily care of the dog, a stray, and asked for the public not to be too harsh in its judgment of them.

The video was shot on a mobile phone at a military camp in Konitsa, northeastern Greece, and went viral on social media at the weekend, triggering a public outcry and an investigation by Greek military authorities.

Defense Minister Panos Kammenos had called for the strictest possible penalties to be imposed on the perpetrators.

According to reports, the two men are now civilians as the incident occurred when they both doing their military service at the camp in Konitsa.