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The day after the US military admitted that a drone attack in the Afghan capital last month mistakenly killed 10 members of a family, including 7 children, survivors said Washington’s apology was not enough.
Aimal Ahmadi’s three-year-old daughter, Malika, was killed on August 29 when a US Hellfire missile hit his brother’s car. She told Al Jazeera on Saturday that her family asked Washington to investigate who launched the drone in the Kabul attack.
“I have lost 10 family members; I hope that the United States and other organizations will bring justice,” he said. “We are innocent people, and we have done nothing wrong.”
Toys, sandals and a group photo with relatives in the compound where six children were killed by U.S. drones.
The United States acknowledged that this was an attack that caused civilian deaths—but it would not have any impact on those who sanctioned or implemented the attack.
Family lawyers call it #War crime pic.twitter.com/d1DqguDnxM
-Osamabin Javaid (@osamabinjavaid) September 18, 2021
Al Jazeera reporter Osama bin Javad, who visited the scene of the attack, said that you can see the children’s souvenirs, including their toys, scattered all over the place.
“Families told us that they are seeking compensation from the United States. They want justice for their families, and if possible, those who stay in this compound want to leave Afghanistan,” he said.
“In this compound, there are the deaths, pains and memories of the deceased, and those who are trying to rebuild their lives in the chaos of what happened in Afghanistan and their families.”
In an interview with the Associated Press, Ahmadi said that the United States should punish the military personnel responsible for the attack.
“It’s not enough to make us sorry,” Ahmadi said. “The United States should find someone to do this.”
News organizations reported after the attack that the driver of the targeted vehicle, Zemerai Ahmadi, was a long-term employee of an American humanitarian organization, and cited the lack of evidence to support the Pentagon’s claim that the vehicle contained explosives.
When the car drove into the family’s lane, the missile hit the children, and the children ran to meet Zemerai.
On Friday, the commander of the US Central Command and Marine Corps General Frank McKenzie called the attack a “tragic mistake.” After weeks of denial, he said that innocent civilians were killed in the attack, not with Islam. Related fighters. Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K), was originally claimed by the US military.
“At the time of the strike, I was convinced that this strike prevented our troops at the airport from facing imminent threats. This is a mistake, and I sincerely apologize,” McKenzie said, adding that the United States was considering paying the victims’ families Compensation.
One day after the attack, the family Tell Al Jazeera The ages of the 10 victims ranged from 2 to 40 years old.
“They are innocent and helpless children,” Ahmadi told Al Jazeera at the time.
On August 30, 2021, the day after the U.S. drone attack in Kabul, Afghan residents and the families of the victims gathered in a house next to the damaged vehicle [Wakil Kohsar/AFP]Mackenzie stated that after tracking for about 8 hours, the decision to attack the white Toyota Corolla was based on the standard of “reasonable certainty” and “sincerely believe” that it poses an imminent threat to the US military. Kabul Airport. He said it was believed that the trunk of the car contained explosives.
But Ahmadi wanted to know how his house could be mistaken for ISKP’s hiding place.
“The United States can be seen from anywhere,” he said of the U.S. drone capabilities. “They can see innocent children near and in the car. Those who do this should be punished.”
“This is not right,” he added.
Despite the evidence to the contrary, Pentagon officials asserted that the attack was carried out correctly to protect the U.S. troops remaining at the Kabul airport for the next day, before the final withdrawal on August 30.
‘Horrible mistake’
After the drone attack, ISKP (a competitor of the Taliban) launched a devastating suicide bombing that killed 169 Afghans and 13 American soldiers at a gate at Kabul Airport. For several days, desperate Afghans have flocked to checkpoints outside the airport, trying to leave the country with the withdrawal of American and NATO troops in chaos, worrying about their future under Taliban rule.
MacKenzie’s admission is very different from the previous statement by the Department of Defense regarding drone attacks. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milli, called the attack “just” a few days after the attack.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issued a statement on Friday, calling the attack a “horrible mistake.”
Members of Congress also called for a thorough investigation of the matter, including Betty McCollum, chairman of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee.
The California Democrat House of Representatives Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff said on Friday that he will investigate the “accuracy and completeness of public statements” made by the Pentagon to defend the attack.
Justice and punishment
Ahmadi insisted that the official apology would not bring his family back, and said he was frustrated that Washington had spent weeks begging to at least call his family.
Looking exhausted, sitting in front of the burnt ruins of the Zemele car, Ahmadi said that he wanted more than an apology from the United States-he wanted justice, including investigations into who went on strike. I hope he will be punished by the United States.”
“Reporters came here to accept their reports,” Amar Ahmadi said. “There is no organization, no one to help us, and no one to offer condolences. Only reporters come to take pictures and make movies and leave.” pic.twitter.com/Ks32wApG4Q
-Azmat Khan (@AzmatZahra) September 17, 2021
Zemerai is the breadwinner of the family and takes care of his three brothers, including Emal and their children.
International aid organizations and the United Nations warned that an imminent humanitarian crisis could plunge most Afghans below the poverty line.
“Now I am a person responsible for all my family, I am unemployed,” Emar said.
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