- ‘It was a mistake and I offer my sincere apology,’ Head of US Central Command Gen. McKenzie said Friday
- He said the Pentagon is considering reparations for the family of the victims killed in the US drone strike
- Vehicle struck belonged to Zemari Ahmadi a 43-year-old aid worker who worked with the US
- Ahmadi and nine of his family members, including seven children, were killed by the Hellfire missile
- He had just returned home with clean water when his children and his brother’s children ran out to greet him
- McKenzie said there had been repeated warnings an attack would come from a white Toyota Corolla, the same car Ahmadi drove
The Pentagon has admitted the August 29 drone strike on a supposed ISIS-K operative instead killed an aid worker and 9 members of his family, including 7 children.
Head of US Central Command Gen. Frank McKenzie admitted the strike was a ‘terrible mistake’ while addressing reporters Friday and said it was ‘unlikely that the vehicle and those who died were associated with ISIS-K or a direct threat to U.S. forces.’
‘It was a mistake and I offer my sincere apology,’ McKenzie said.
McKenzie said the movements of the aid worker, Zemari Ahmadi tracked with intelligence about ISIS plans for an attack at Kabul airport.
A drone had observed men loading what were thought to be explosives into Ahmadi’s vehicle, but were actually jugs of water.
The deadly drone strike set off a large secondary explosion, which officials originally claimed was evidence the car was indeed carrying explosives, but an investigation determined was likely a propane tank located in the driveway.
‘I offer my profound condolences to the family and friends of those who were killed,’Â McKenzie continued. ‘The strike was taken in the earnest belief that it would prevent an imminent threat to our forces and evacuees at the airport. But it was a mistake and I offer my sincere apology, as the combatant commander, responsible for this strike and this tragic outcome.’