Washington: The US Defense Department announced on Friday that it was working to deliver condolence payments to the family of 10 Afghans killed in an erroneous drone strike, as well as to assist in the relocation of some of them to the US. Dr Colin Kahl, the undersecretary of Defense for policy, and Steven Kwon, the founder and president of the nonprofit group Nutrition & Education International, held a virtual meeting on Thursday to discuss the payments. Zemari Ahmadi, who worked for the Pasadena charity, was mistaken for a terrorist and died in the family compound attack on August 29th.
The military launched the operation after determining that Zemari Ahmadi constituted a serious threat to US forces assisting in evacuations at Kabul’s airport as the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital. He was thought to be a member of the Islamic State in Khorasan, or ISIS-K, a breakaway group. The strike occurred in the waning days of the US’ two-decade failed attempt to replace the Taliban with a stable Western-backed government.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Kahl reiterated with Kwon the strike was a “tragic mistake” and that Zemari Ahmadi and the other casualties, including seven children, “were innocent victims who bore no guilt and were not linked with ISIS-K or threats to US forces.” Kirby said the Pentagon and the State Department were working together to help the family migrate to the United States. Emal Ahmadi Zemari Ahmadi’s brother expressed confidence in the United States’ ability to follow through on its commitment