August 2021 Kabul drone strike
| August 2021 Kabul drone strike | |
|---|---|
| Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), 2021 Afghanistan attacks, Drone strikes in Afghanistan | |
| Location | Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Date | 29 August 2021 16:53 (UTC+04:30) |
Attack type | Drone strike |
| Victims | 10 civilians killed, including 7 children and Zemari Ahmadi |
| Perpetrators |  United States Central Command (United States Armed Forces) |
On 29 August 2021 an unmanned drone attack by the United States killed 10 civilians in Kabul, Afghanistan, including 7 children. Soon after the attack, the United States acknowledged that they had hit the wrong targets, and that only innocent civilians were killed in the strike.[1]
The attack occurred soon after the Fall of Kabul that led to the end of the War in Afghanistan that lasted from 2001 to 2021. In the days after the Fall of Kabul, mass civilian evacuations took place at Hamid Karzai International Airport. During these evacuations, the airport was attacked by a suicide bomber, which killed at least 183 people. Anticipating imminent subsequent attacks from ISIS, U.S. forces believed that a white 1996 Toyota Corolla and its driver were linked to a terrorist plot. The driver of the car, Zemari Ahmadi, was a worker for a U.S. aid group. After Ahmadi stopped at a storehouse, six Reaper drones surrounded the compound and at 4:53pm a single Hellfire missle was launched, killing 10 people. The United States military acknowledged its mistake after reviewing footage that showed three children coming to greet Ahmadi at his sedan before they were killed.[2]
The attack was conducted by the Over-the-Horizon Strike Cell group of U.S. Central Command.[1]
On 15 October 2021, The Pentagon offered monetary compensation to the families of the victims. The Pentagon also offered the families help in relocating to the United States.[3]
See also
References
- ^ a b Schmitt, Eric (21 September 2021). "A Botched Drone Strike in Kabul Started With the Wrong Car". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ Schmitt, Eric; Cooper, Helene (17 September 2021). "Pentagon acknowledges Aug. 29 drone strike in Afghanistan was a tragic mistake that killed 10 civilians". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ Schmitt, Eric (16 October 2021). "U.S. Pledges to Pay Family of Those Killed in Botched Kabul Drone Strike". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
