A U.S. military drone strike in August led to the death of 7 children and other Afghan civilians.
A white Toyota was seen loading containers into a truck, and the drones followed the vehicle, that the US suspected was being driven by a terrorist, and the strike was launched. According to CBS, the intention was to target ISIS members located in Kabul, but the car hit in the attack had no connection to the terrorist group.
It turns out that the car was being driven by a member of an aid organization — not affiliated with ISIS or any other terrorist groups — and the containers in the car were filled with water.
The subsequent explosion after the strike came from a propane tank that was hit, rather than explosives, and nearly a dozen innocent people were dead, including children who had run out to meet their family member driving the car.
General Frank McKenzie, commander of the U.S. Central Command, issued an apology for the strike, saying that it was an “earnest” attempt to keep their forces safe.
Survivors of the attack want more than an apology, according to the Associated Press. One family member told the outlet that they want reparations and an investigation into who ordered the attack.
Senator Bernie Sanders told CBS, “This is not only a human tragedy, it reflects on us before the entire world. It’s unacceptable.”