NEW YORK: The Pentagon has declassified and released video footage of a US drone strike in Kabul that killed 10 civilians in the final hours of the chaotic American withdrawal that ended its 20-year war in Afghanistan.
The footage, roughly 25 minutes of video, was first published by The New York Times following a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed against the U.S. Central Command (Centcom).
The newspaper said that the footage had been misinterpreted by officials who initiated the Aug. 29 drone strike, noting that the images are times difficult to make out.
The videos include about 25 minutes of footage from what the Times reported were two MQ-9 Reaper drones, showing the scene of the strike prior to, during and after a missile struck a civilian car in a courtyard on a residential street. Indistinct images show individuals moving in or near the attack zone.
A Pentagon investigation last year found the strike in Kabul was an “honest mistake” and recommended no legal or disciplinary action, a conclusion that was met with widespread outrage from Congress and human rights groups.
Critics said the report contributed to a culture of impunity and failed to address systemic problems in the US conduct of drone warfare, making future civilian casualties inevitable.
“The investigation found no violation of law, including the law of war. Execution errors combined with confirmation bias and communication breakdowns led to regrettable civilian casualties,” the report said.