U.S. Drone Strike in Kabul Kills 10 Civilians Including 7 Children

On August 29, 2021, a U.S. Hellfire missile struck a Toyota Corolla in Kabul, killing aid worker Zemari Ahmadi and nine family members including seven children aged 2 to 12. The Pentagon initially called it a "righteous strike" against an ISIS-K vehicle-borne bomb, but a New York Times investigation revealed the target had been carrying water containers, not explosives. Secretary Austin acknowledged three weeks later that only civilians were killed and there was no ISIS connection.