Relatives of the Afghan family killed by the US drone strike that took the lives of an innocent aid worker and nine other people, including seven children, say they want compensation, and resettlement in the US or another safe country.
Zemari Ahmadi, 43, died in the blast and was his family's only breadwinner. He worked for the US-based aid group Nutrition and Education International, and U.S. officials acknowledge he did not appear to be connected to ISIS-K terrorists. His fatal mistake, it appeared, was driving a white 1996 Toyota Corolla similar to one intelligence sources claimed was being driven by a known terrorist. Ahmadi's 24-year-old stepson Samim Ahmadi told The Washington Post that 'the situation in Afghanistan is not good'. He added: 'Whether in America or another country, we want peace and comfort for our remaining years.
And while he said he is 'happy' the Pentagon has acknowledged the miscalculations that led to his brother's death, 'forgiveness' is too strong a word, as reported by The Post.
Family members said before the August 29 drone strike Ahmadi and his brother had applications processing for special visas to enter the U.S. because of their work with American companies.
The fatal blast heightened the surviving family's urgency to leave, according to The Post and Ajmal Ahmadi, another brother, said his family is 'worried' and 'feels under threat because we are so exposed to the public by the media'.
'Everyone got to know that we have worked for foreigners, served in the Afghan army as well as the Afghan intelligence agency,' he added.
The Taliban is known to take a grim view of Afghans with ties to the United States. The Ahmadis also said the Americans responsible for the tragic mistake - the commander who oversaw the strike, the drone operator or anyone else who had visuals on the ground - need to be taken to court.
Emal said: 'The US government must punish those who launched the drone strike. They knew and saw there were children on the ground. Can anyone bring them back?'
In the wake of a suicide attack that killed 13 US troops at the Kabul airport who cannot be brought back, US officials had intelligence that such a vehicle was involved in planning another attack, Marine Gen Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command, said at a briefing on Friday afternoon.
A detailed timeline released by the Pentagon on Friday showed that on the morning of August 29, Ahmadi left the compound near the Kabul airport where he lived with his children, two brothers and nieces and nephews.
On his way to work Ahmadi picked up a coworker to carpool before stopping at the home of NEI's director at 8.52am to pick up a laptop.
The director's home had been under intense surveillance by MQ-9 Reaper drones and McKenzie continues to insist that solid intelligence links the home to ISIS-K.