Pentagon Says Unable To Confirm Identities Of IS Members Killed In Drone Strike August 29

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2021) The US Department of Defense is not able to confirm the identities of Islamic State (terrorist group, banned in Russia) individuals targeted in the strike carried in late August, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said on Monday, speaking on the reports claim that an aid worker might have been among the victims.

The New York Times recently published video evidence showing Zemari Ahmadi, who worked for a US aid group, may have been mistaken for an IS-Khorasan terrorist by American forces before a drone strike killed 10 civilians including seven children in Afghanistan on August 29.

"I am not able to confirm the identities of ISIS individuals targeted on this strike," Kirby told reporters at a briefing, adding that the Pentagon is assessing the situation.

The New York Times investigation revealed that Ahmadi, who worked as an electrical engineer for the US non-governmental organization (NGO) Nutrition and education International, left his home in the morning on August 29 to pick up a colleague and his boss's laptop, which is when the US military suspected a white sedan had left an Islamic State safe house and intercepted communications asking the driver to make several stops.

The US military may have mistakenly thought Ahmadi's white Toyota Corolla contained explosives that would be used against the US troops at the Kabul airport after he was seen running work-related errands and loading water containers for his home, according to the Times.

Back in late August, the US military was on placed high alert after 13 US service members were killed in an IS-K suicide bombing attack at the Kabul airport. In response, US President Joe Biden gave US military commanders full authority to conduct operations against IS-K.