Los angeles   - A US soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan villagers last year will face a court-martial in September, military authorities have said. Sergeant Robert Bales could face the death penalty if found guilty at the military trial, a spokesman for the Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) said, giving a “tentative” start date of September 3. Bales faces 16 counts of murder, six of attempted murder, seven of assault, two of using drugs and one of drinking alcohol. Seventeen of the 22 victims were women or children and almost all were shot in the head.