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US vows to pay relatives of Afghans killed in drone strike

United States Afghanistan
Posted at 9:01 PM, Oct 15, 2021
and last updated 2021-10-15 22:01:40-04

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Defense Department says it is committed to offering condolence payments to relatives of the 10 people who were killed in an errant U.S. drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, in August.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement Friday that the Defense Department is also working with the State Department to help surviving family members relocate to the United States.

Kirby did not say how much money would be offered.

He says Dr. Colin Kahl, under secretary of defense for policy, discussed the matter Thursday with Dr. Steven Kwon, founder and president of the nonprofit group Nutrition & Education International.

In September, the Pentagon confirmed the strike was a "tragic mistake." Initially, the U.S. said it believed a member of ISIS-K was killed.

The U.S. launched the attack days after the military said a member of ISIS-K killed 13 service members and more than 100 Afghan civilians at the Afghanistan airport.

ISIS-K or were a direct threat to U.S. forces,