Military

US Says It Will Pay Family of Kabul Drone-Strike Victims

October 18, 2021Hannah Ray Lambert
Pentagon press secretary John F. Kirby briefs reporters from the Pentagon Oct. 12, 2021. Department of Defense photo by Lisa Ferdinando.

Pentagon press secretary John F. Kirby briefs reporters from the Pentagon Oct. 12, 2021. Department of Defense photo by Lisa Ferdinando.

The US will provide payments to the family of 10 civilians — including seven children — who were mistakenly killed in an Aug. 29 drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon.


The drone strike came just days after 13 American service members and 169 Afghan civilians died in a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport. Following the strike, American officials insisted the target had been another ISIS-K suicide bomber, but last month, top US officials reversed course and admitted that on-the-ground intelligence about an imminent attack in Kabul was flawed, and the strike, which killed aid worker Zemari Ahmadi and nine members of his family, had been “a tragic mistake.”


Kabul drone airstrike what went wrong coffee or die strike
A drone strike on what the Pentagon believed to be ISIS-K fighters instead killed Zemari Ahmadi and nine members of his family. One of his neighbors stands amid the rubble of the damaged Ahmadi home. The Pentagon admitted the strike had wrongfully targeted Ahmadi on Sept. 17. Photo by Hoshang Hashimi/AFP via Getty Images.

In a statement released Friday, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said US officials were working with the head of the charity that employed Ahmadi to possibly help surviving members of the family relocate to the United States, The New York Times reported. The aid organization Nutrition & Education International and its lawyers are negotiating on behalf of Ahmadi’s family.


No specific amount of money for condolence payments has been determined yet, according to the Times, but the Pentagon said there would be more discussions between the US government, the charity, and its lawyers.


Congress has authorized up to $3 million per calendar year for so-called “ex gratia” payments for damage, personal injury, or death caused by US military action.


In late September, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the Air Force inspector general would review the botched drone strike and US Central Command’s investigation of it. The inspector general will report any recommendations and lessons to be learned.


Read Next: Air Force Inspector General Will Review Kabul Drone Strike That Killed 10 Civilians



Hannah Ray Lambert
Hannah Ray Lambert

Hannah Ray Lambert is a former staff writer for Coffee or Die who previously covered everything from murder trials to high school trap shooting teams. She spent several months getting tear gassed during the 2020-2021 civil unrest in Portland, Oregon. When she’s not working, Hannah enjoys hiking, reading, and talking about authors and books on her podcast Between Lewis and Lovecraft.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

Ouija Board aircraft carrier
Low-Tech ‘Ouija Boards’ Have Helped Aircraft Carriers Operate for Decades

Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.

Army vs. Navy mascot
The Navy Goat vs. the Army Mule: Mascot Origin Stories

For nearly as long as the Army-Navy football rivalry, the academies’ hoofed mascots have stared each other down from the sidelines. Here are their stories.

ukraine long-range weapon
Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Has Developed a Long-Range Weapon, a Day After Strike Deep Inside Russia

Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel the weapon was produced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries but gave no other details.

ambush
7 of the Best Movie Ambush Scenes of All Time

Ambushes make for great action scenes. Here are seven of the best to ever grace the big screen.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, with his daughter, center right, reportedly named Ju Ae, review the honor guard during their visit to the navy headquarter in North Korea
North Korea Launches Missile Toward Sea After US Flies Bomber During Drills

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the launch occurred Wednesday but gave no further details, such as how far the missile flew.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved