US military admits killing 10 civilians, targeting wrong vehicle in Kabul drone strike, reports

The Pentagon had maintained that at least one ISIS-K facilitator and three civilians were killed

Published: September 17, 2021 3:10pm

Updated: September 17, 2021 3:24pm

A U.S. military investigation into a deadly drone strike last month in Kabul found the attack killed 10 civilians and that the targeted driver and vehicle were likely not a threat associated with the ISIS-K terror group, according to several news reports Friday.

The Pentagon had previously said at least one ISIS-K facilitator and three civilians were killed in what Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley had previously called a "righteous strike" on the compound on Aug 29, according to CNN.

The investigation released Friday found everybody killed in the residential compound were civilians, following weeks of speculation about a possible failed drone strike. 

Before the strike, drone operators surveilled the courtyard for up to 4 to 5 minutes. In that time, a male driver left the vehicle. One child was parking the vehicle and other children were present in the car and the courtyard – as CNN had been told.

    The military reportedly based the strike on a reasonable certainty standard, an official said reasonable certainty is not 100% certainty, also according to the news outlet.

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