The tragedy of August 29 remains vividly present in the minds of the family of Afghan worker Ezmarai Ahmadi, after an American strike claimed his life along with nine others, including seven children. The latest development for the grieving family is the announcement from the U.S. Department of Defense that it has offered compensation to the relatives of the ten victims killed in that strike carried out by a drone in a street in Kabul. The Pentagon clarified in a statement, as reported by AFP on Saturday, that it is working with the State Department to facilitate the relocation of any of these relatives who wish to leave Afghanistan for the United States.
Additionally, it was revealed that the monetary offer was presented to the victims' families on Thursday during a meeting between Colin Kahl, the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and Stephen Kwon, founder and president of a humanitarian organization active in Afghanistan called the "International Nutrition and Education Organization," with which Ahmadi was associated.
An American drone targeted Ezmarai after he left his workplace, mistakenly identifying him as a member of ISIS. U.S. intelligence tracked his white Toyota for eight hours before striking it with a missile, resulting in the deaths of seven children and three adults, including Ahmadi. U.S. Central Command Commander General Kenneth McKenzie stated at the time that intelligence had observed the vehicle at a location in Kabul identified as harboring members of the terrorist organization planning attacks on Kabul Airport. This followed three days after an ISIS suicide bomber in the Khorasan province killed dozens at the airport, including 13 U.S. service members.
However, U.S. officials acknowledged last month (September) that the drone attack was a mistake. Kahl regarded the strike as a tragic error and affirmed that the victims were innocent! Relatives of the deceased had requested compensation for that profound loss and a face-to-face apology. Ahmad's nephew, Farshad Haidari, 22 years old, told AFP from his modest home, which was bombed in Kujab Borga, a crowded neighborhood in Kabul, "They should come here and apologize to us face to face."
