US admits drone strike in Afghanistan killed 10 civilians

A US drone strike in Afghanistan last month killed 10 civilians, including seven children, and not Islamic State extremists as it was first claimed, the Pentagon has admitted.

The commander of US Central Command, Gen Kenneth McKenzie, said on Friday (17 September) he now believes it was unlikely that those who died were Islamic State militants or posed a direct threat to US forces at Kabul’s airport.

He told reporters: “I am now convinced that as many as 10 civilians, including up to seven children, were tragically killed in that strike.

“Moreover, we now assess that it is unlikely that the vehicle and those who died were associated with [Islamic State Khorasan] or were a direct threat to US forces.

He added: “I offer my profound condolences to the family and friends of those who were killed. This strike was taken in the earnest belief that it would prevent an imminent threat to our forces and the evacuees at the airport. But it was a mistake and I offer my sincere apology.”

For days after the 29 August strike by a single Hellfire missile, Pentagon officials asserted that it had been conducted correctly, even though numerous civilians had been killed.

However, McKenzie ordered an investigation by Central Command. It found that the strike killed Zemari Ahmadi, a worker for Nutrition and Education International - a non-government organisation that distributes food to Afghan civilians - along with nine members of his family.

His car was reportedly carrying water bottles rather than explosives.

McKenzie said it was “not a rushed strike” and efforts had been made to minimise civilian casualties, but he acknowledged that “a terrible mistake” had been made.

When asked if anyone would be held responsible, he said: “We are in the process right now of continuing that line of investigation.”

‘I offer my deepest condolences’

Lloyd Austin, the defense secretary, was briefed on the findings of the investigation on Friday morning and directed a further review.

He said in a statement: “I offer my deepest condolences to surviving family members of those who were killed, including Mr Ahmadi, and to the staff of Nutrition and Education International, Mr Ahmadi’s employer.”

He added: “We now know that there was no connection between Mr Ahmadi and Isis-Khorasan, that his activities on that day were completely harmless and not at all related to the imminent threat we believed we faced, and that Mr Ahmadi was just as innocent a victim as were the others tragically killed.

“We apologize, and we will endeavor to learn from this horrible mistake.”