US pledges ‘condolence payments’ to relatives of 10 Afghan civilians mistakenly killed in drone strike | world News

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The United States has promised condolence payments to the relatives of 10 civilians killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan.

The victims, including seven children and an Afghan aid worker, were killed on August 29 in a raid the US said was targeting a suicide bomber.

But Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said on Thursday that the 10 civilians posed no threat to US forces that were in the process of withdrawing from the country at the time.

They were also not affiliated with the Islamic State of Khorasan (ISIS-K).

It was not clear if condolence payments were actually made or how much money was being given, but there is also work underway to help some of the relatives move to the United States.

The raid killed Zamari Ahmadi, 36, who worked for the relief organization Nutrition and Education International, along with his sons Zamir, Faisal and Farzad – aged 20, 16 and 12.

Six of his nephews and nephews were also said to have perished: a two-year-old boy and girl, five and seven-year-old girls, a six-year-old boy and a 28-year-old man.

Photo: Two children were killed in the August 29 drone strike. Pics: AP

Mr. Ahmadi was driving in the driveway of his family compound when he was hit by a Hellfire missile.

The United States initially defended the strike, saying it targeted Islamic State “mediators” and disrupted the group’s ability to carry out attacks.

But reports quickly showed that Ahmadi had long worked for a US aid organization and there were no signs of a secondary explosion, despite the Pentagon’s claim that the car contained explosives.

Weeks after the killings, Marine General Frank McKenzie, the commander of US Central Command, said innocent civilians had been killed in what he described as a “tragic mistake.”

Last month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said: “We now know that there is no connection between Mr. Ahmadi and ISIS-K and that his activities that day were completely harmless and not at all related to the imminent threat we thought we faced.

“We apologize and will seek to learn from this grave mistake,” he added.

The issue of condolence payments was raised Thursday at a meeting between Dr Colin Kahl, the Department of Defense’s undersecretary for policy, and Dr Stephen Kwon, founder and president of the charity that employed Mr. Ahmadi.

“Dr. Cale reiterated Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s commitment to the families, including making ex gratia payments,” Kirby said.

He did not say how much would be given.

The airstrike came after a suicide bombing by ISIS in Khorasan killed 169 Afghans and 13 US military personnel at Kabul airport in late August.

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