NATO Confirms Investigation Into Afghan Drone Strike Civilian Toll

Continues to Refer to Women, Children as 'Insurgents'

NATO has confirmed it is launching a full investigation into a September 7 drone strike in Afghanistan’s Kunar Province amid repeated complaints about the number of civilians killed in the attack.

The attack killed 10 civilians, according to Afghan civilians, targeting a pickup truck full of people that included four women and four small children, along with two drivers.

NATO lauded the attack at the time as a “precision strike” that killed “enemy forces,”and even today officials continue to refer to the slain women and children as “insurgents,” saying they have no reports of their own of civilian deaths.

US and NATO air strikes have killed huge large numbers of civilians throughout the 12 year occupation, and despite repeated promises to curb the policy the strikes continue to take a heavy toll on locals.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.