Investigating the US airstrike that was launched briefly after the Kabul airport attack on the 26th of August 2021, killing hundreds of Afghans and at least 13 US troops, the New York Times has published its findings concluding that the target of the airstrike was not a terrorist affiliated with ISIS-K, but rather a relief worker and his family members.
Zemari Ahmadi, 43, was the target of the strike. The US military said it didn't know who he was, but found his actions suspicious. He was an aid worker for a California-based company, and the breadwinner for his entire extended family. 1/10 pic.twitter.com/jNjtw4Yb3r
— Matthieu Aikins (@mattaikins) September 11, 2021
According to NYT's Matthieu Aikins, the US drone airstrike that was celebrated by US President Joe Biden as his administration's way of "delivering justice" against ISIS-K terrorists who plotted the Kabul Airport attack missed its target, committing another crime against Afghans.
Aikins's investigation with video evidence has found out that the target of the strike authorized by Biden was 43-years old Zemari Ahmadi who is a driver for the California-based relief organization Nutrition and Education International that is operating in Afghanistan. 9 other people were killed in this airstrike, including 7 kids.
US claims of stopping an ISIS attack questionable:
— Suhasini Haidar (@suhasinih) September 11, 2021
NYT has identified the driver as Zemari Ahmadi, a longtime worker for U.S. aid group, who appeared to have loaded water in his vehicle when he was killed in US drone strike that killed 8 children, others. https://t.co/LEMoTITgUn
The military said it believed Zemari Ahmadi’s white Toyota Corolla, which it tracked by drone for eight hours that day, was packed with explosives. Security camera video we obtained showed him loading it with water containers for his home. I'll detail our findings in this thread. pic.twitter.com/1hEaFBmcDo
— Evan Hill (@evanhill) September 10, 2021
Ahmadi, who was killed along with his family, had applied for refuge in the US and was waiting for approval so he can leave with his family to the US, considering his work with a US organization over the years.
However, Zemari Ahmadi was targeted by the US drone as he was loading a trunk with water jugs mistook for explosives by US officials who decided that the raid can be proper revenge for the US, following the death of its 13 troops in the airport attack.
