UN Calls For Independent Investigation Into US Drone Strike In Afghanistan

The United Nations has condemned a US drone strike in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan that killed that killed more than a dozen civilians and injured over a dozen others.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement on Thursday, “UNAMA condemns the killing of at least 15 civilian men and the injuring of at least 13 others, including at least one boy, in the strike”.

The UN mission called on all parties to the conflict to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law and asks for an independent investigation into the incident.

“UNAMA calls on the Government and international military forces to launch a prompt, independent, impartial, transparent, and effective investigation into this incident.”

US forces in Afghanistan has acknowledged reports of civilian casualties in a statement and said it was indeed investigating all allegations of civilian causalities very seriously.

In the early morning of 28 September, US forces conducted an airstrike, reportedly targeting members of Daesh militants, that struck a civilian home in Achin district in Nangarhar killing at least 18 people.

According to the reports the people targeted had gathered in the house of a tribal elder who had returned from the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Government sources report that Daesh militants were also targeted in the attack.

By: Hesamuddin Hesam