US should compensate families of victims killed in drone strike: IEA

The United States military is accountable for killing innocent Afghan civilians through indiscriminate drone strike, and the U.S. government should compensate the families of the victims, said a spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan [IEA] on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

The statement came following the U.S. Department of Defense’s decision on Monday that no military personnel involved in a drone strike that killed 10 civilians, including seven children, in the Afghan capital of Kabul in August, will face punishment.

“We want the families of those who were brutally killed to be assisted. The U.S. must pay the compensation. It is the demand of the Afghan people, but the Americans deny it. The U.S. has committed many similar actions in the world and is now saying [that no punishment for those involved in the air strikes]. The U.S. killed many innocent people in Afghanistan in the last 20 years. So this is not blackmail. It is an ethical responsibility of the U.S. that needs to be done,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, chief spokesman of the IEA.

According to the report the Defense Department admitted in September that the drone strike – which came in the final days of the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan – was a “tragic mistake” that killed the civilians.

The decision by the Pentagon was deemed unacceptable by the families of the victims.

One family member, Aimal Ahmadi, complained that the U.S. has told them several times that it has committed a mistake, but now it has changed its tune and said it won’t punish those who conducted the attack, read the report.

“The U.S. pledged to compensate us. They said that the wrongdoers would be brought to justice and they would help us to stay out of danger. The U.S. must fulfill the promises now. Each time they come with new excuses for their actions. The U.S. is the world’s superpower and it has to fulfill the promises they made,” said Ajmal Ahmadi, another family member of the victims.

Jaihoon Ahmad, a Kabul resident, said an international court is necessary to investigate the drone strikes conducted by the U.S, Reuters reported.

“An international court must be formed that can act in an impartial manner. There should be an impartial body that can investigate all the relevant issues of drone strikes and see if America is guilty. The reasons for the strikes must be investigated. Those who have conducted the attack must be punished,” he said.