llhan Omar slams US Kabul drone strike that killed 10, including children
llhan Omar slams US Kabul drone strike that killed 10, including children
The Department of Defense made the admission on Friday, following earlier media reports saying that the strike had killed an aid worker and his family members.
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Ilhan Omar urged compensation for the families of the victims [Getty]
Muslim-American congresswoman Ilhan Omar criticised a US military airstrike in Afghanistan that killed 10 civilians, including at least seven children last month.
The Department of Defense made the admission on Friday, following earlier media reports saying that the strike had killed an aid worker and his family members.
"This strike was taken in the earnest belief that it would prevent an imminent threat to our forces and the evacuees at the airport, but it was a mistake and I offer my sincere apology," US General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of the US General Command, said Friday.
The US initially said the airstrike had killed Islamic State suicide bombers who had planned an attack on the international airport in Kabul.
The 29 August airstrike was celebrated by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Mark Milley at the time, who had previously called it a “righteous strike” before an investigation released on Friday found that those killed in the building were civilians.
The announcement from the Pentagon has unleashed fresh criticism on the Biden administration over his hasty withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.
Commenting on the Pentagon announcement, Omar wrote: "'Sorry' isn't enough. Thousands have been killed in covert, unaccountable drone strikes over the past two decades. We should be demanding accountability for anyone involved in this and a full inquiry into this and the entire drone program."
She added: "We owe it to the families of victims to acknowledge these crimes, compensate the families, and allow international criminal investigations into these attacks," she added.
Others, including Turkish-American political commentator Cenk Uygur, also weighed in.
"All the reporters who are outraged by Pentagon drone strike that killed civilians, are you guys not aware we've been killing civilians with drone strikes for decades?” Uygur tweeted.
“How is this news to you that you are all of a sudden bothered by it? Because almost none of you objected before."
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