KABUL (Dispatches) –
Relatives of Afghan civilians killed or injured in a U.S. drone bombing in Kabul last August have called for recognition of the deadly attack as a war crime and due punishment of the American perpetrators.
“It is well known that they were looking at us from above when the airstrike happened. You can also see in the video that they are targeting civilians and children,” said the brother of one of the victims, Emal Ahmadi, in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV), citing the recently-released video of the strike by U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM).
Those killed in the allegedly mistaken U.S. bombing in Kabul included seven children.
“The U.S. military admitted it had made a mistake but did not punish anyone for carrying out the strike,” Ahmadi added, questioning the oft-repeated trend of American forces conceding guilt in bombing non-military targets but not punishing those responsible for the massacres.
In September 2021, the U.S. military officially acknowledged that the air strike – conducted just prior to its hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan following Taliban’s victory march across the country – was a tragic “mistake.”
However, three months later, it said that no one would be held accountable for the brutal carnage and destruction of properties.
“As I said, American forces bombed Kabul and other provinces many times. We’ve seen families killed, so it’s not a mistake. This is a war crime. Because the strike was planned, we can’t just call it a mistake,” added an Afghan university student – identified as Faisal Amarkhil – as quoted in the report.
“Although the U.S. armed forces admitted it had made a mistake, until now they have done nothing to help the family,” said another Kabul resident identified in the report as Zarifullah. “Honestly, it’s a war crime.”
The Taliban took control of the Afghan government in mid-August last year, in the midst of a hasty, reckless withdrawal by U.S. military and diplomatic forces and their affiliates from the country.
The U.S. pullout, 20 years after it invaded the country, was followed by Washington’s imposition of cruel sanctions and cessation of humanitarian aid, leaving millions of Afghans on the verge of starvation, including women and children who are particularly at risk.