SEATTLE — The brutal, premeditated killings of three Afghan civilians — allegedly at the hands of American soldiers — are expected to be detailed in military court near here this fall, potentially undermining efforts by the United States as it tries to win support among Afghans in fighting the Taliban.

The cases, which accuse five members of an Army Stryker brigade from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, near Tacoma, of deliberately ambushing three Afghan men with grenades and rifle fire this year, have also raised questions about how the Army has handled them.

The father of one of the soldiers said in an interview that he had repeatedly tried to alert military officials that his son had told him through Facebook in February that one murder had already been committed by members of his unit and that others could happen in the future.

The son had been threatened by members of his unit and feared for his life, said the father, Christopher Winfield, of Cape Coral, Fla. Two more people were killed after Winfield first reached out to the Army.

Spc. Adam Winfield is one of three soldiers accused in the killing of Mullah Adahdad near Forward Operating Base Ramrod, in early May, “by means of throwing a fragmentary grenade at him and shooting him with a rifle,” according to an Army charging document.

Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs is also accused in that killing, as is Spc. Jeremy Morlock. Gibbs and Morlock are also accused in the January killing of Gul Mudin and in the February killing of Marach Agha. Spc. Michael Wagnon is also accused in the death of Agha, and Pfc. Andrew Holmes is also accused in the death of Mudin.

The defendants have denied the accusations.

Election workers’ bodies recovered

Afghan authorities said Sunday that they have recovered the bodies of three election workers who were kidnapped Saturday during parliamentary balloting marked by violence and reports of widespread fraud.

The election workers were abducted Saturday morning as they were taking ballots to a polling station in the northern province of Balkh, provincial spokesman Munit Ahmar said.

— The Washington Post