Relatives and survivors of a US drone strike in Afghanistan that killed ten civilians do not agree with the US military’s apology. In conversation with the American news agency AP, a relative on behalf of his family demands that the United States investigate and punish those responsible.
At the end of August, ten innocent civilians were killed in the drone attack, which was intended to take out a member of the terrorist organization IS. Initially, the Pentagon even claimed to have killed two high-ranking terrorists. In reality, it involved an employee of an American aid organization and casual bystanders, including seven children.
Yesterday recognized US General McKenzie made the mistake. He spoke of “a tragic mistake”, for which he apologized. According to him, the attack was carried out after the target had been thoroughly examined, after which the officers involved were convinced that it posed a threat to the US military at the Kabul airport.
Financial compensation
That statement is not credible, according to bereaved family Emal Ahmadi, whose 3-year-old daughter Malika was killed in the drone attack. According to him, the soldiers involved should have been able to see that children were walking around the target.
“It’s not enough to say sorry,” Ahmadi told AP. “With apologies my daughter will not come back.” He not only wants those responsible to be prosecuted, but also asks for financial compensation and the evacuation of a number of family members to a safe country.
When asked, McKenzie said yesterday that he wanted to financially compensate the affected families, but he did not mention a concrete amount.
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