'Tragic mistake': US admits drone strike in Kabul killed 10 civilians, including children

 

The US on Friday admitted that in the August 29 drone strike by them in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, 10 civilians, including children, had died

The US on Friday admitted that in the August 29 drone strike by them in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, 10 civilians, including children, had died and called it a "tragic mistake." 

Commander of US Central Command General Kenneth McKenzie in a press briefing said, "Having thoroughly reviewed the findings of the investigation and the supporting analysis by inner agency partners, I am now convinced that as many as 10 civilians including up to seven children were tragically killed in that strike."

This comes after Pentagon had claimed their unmanned, over-the-horizon, self-defence airstrike on a vehicle in Kabul had 'eliminated an imminent' ISIS-K threat to Hamad Karzai International airport.

US Central Command spokesman Bill Urban had also said that they are 'confident' that the drone had successfully hit the target. 

It is unlikely that the vehicle and the people who died were associated with ISIS-K or whether they were a direct threat to the US forces, McKenzie said, adding, "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. As the combatant commander, I am fully responsible for this strike and its tragic outcome," he said.

The US commander said that sensitive information, 48 hours before the strike, indicated that the compound was being used the ISIS-K planners to plan future attacks. 

"We were also receiving a significant number of reports indicating multiple avenues of attached which were being planned simultaneously. Through which ISIS-K would attempt to harm our forces including with rockets, suicide explosive vests and vehicle born improvised explosive devices," he said.

Giving further details about the strike, he said, "One of the most recurring aspects of the intelligence was that ISIS-K would utilize a white Toyota Corolla as a key element in the next attack. Because the compound was our strongest lead for this series of imminent attacks we initiated an intense surveillance of the compound with as many as six MQ-9 Reapers on the morning of 29 August."