Kabul drone attack: US advocates decry 'impunity, secrecy'

Washington, DC – The United States is sending a "dangerous and misleading message" by failing to hold any US military personnel responsible for a Kabul drone attack that killed 10 civilians, including seven children, human rights advocates have said. Calls for accountability for the deadly bombing on August 29 grew on Tuesday, a day after US media outlets first reported that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had accepted a recommendation from top commanders not to punish any members of the military. Rights groups also urged President Joe Biden's administration to do more to help the survivors of the attack in the Afghan capital to relocate to the US. The bombing targeted the car of Zemari Ahmadi, who worked for US-based aid organisation Nutrition and Education International (NEI), killing him and nine of his family members. "I've been beseeching the US government to evacuate directly-impacted family members and NEI employees for months because their security situation is so dire," Steven Kwon, founder and president of NEI, said in a statement.