The Pentagon has admitted a drone strike in Kabul last month killed 10 civilians, including up to 7 children.
The head of US Central Command, General Kenneth Franklin McKenzie said it is “unlikely those who died in the August 29th strike were associated with Islamic State militants.
He said the attack was a ‘tragic mistake’.
“This strike was taken in the earnest belief that it would prevent an imminent threat to our forces and the evacuees at the airport,” he said. “But it was a mistake and I offer my sincere apology.”
“As the combatant commander, I am fully responsible for this strike and this tragic outcome.”
General McKenzie offered his “profound condolences” to the families and friends of those who were killed.
For days after the strike, Pentagon officials insisted that it had been conducted correctly, despite reports the driver of the targeted car was a long-time employee at an American humanitarian organisation.
Gen Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters two days after the attack that it appeared to have been a “righteous” strike and at least one of the people killed was a "facilitator" for ISIS-K - the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate.
The strike followed ISIS-K's suicide bombing at Kabul airport, which killed 169 Afghan civilians and 13 US soldiers.
With reporting from IRN
