military cannot knowingly continue to use a process that repeatedly kills civilians by mistake. Rita Siemion, the director of National Security Advocacy at Human Rights First, told Common Dreams that the U.S. "When I visited Khogyani in 2017, locals told us that drone strikes against farmers and other civilians are taking place regularly." "Seems that recent drone strikes in Nangarhar's Khogyani district ended in a total massacre killing far more than 30 civilians," said Feroz. policy with respect to attacks in Nangarhar is different than Leggett's claims. In a tweet, journalist Emran Feroz said his reporting from the region indicates that the reality of U.S. forces in Afghanistan must ensure that all possible precautions are taken to avoid civilian casualties in military operations," said Amnesty. Human rights group Amnesty International, in a statement, said that the strike was "unacceptable and suggests a shocking disregard for civilian life." "We are fighting in a complex environment against those who intentionally kill and hide behind civilians, as well as use dishonest claims of noncombatant casualties as propaganda weapons," Leggett said. However, Leggett said, the blame for the massacre is squarely on IS and the Taliban-not U.S. "We are aware of allegations of the death of non-combatants and are working with local officials to determine the facts," said Leggett. campaign in Afghanistan, said the attack was aimed at "Da'esh (IS) terrorists in Nangarhar" province. In a statement, Colonel Sonny Leggett, the spokesman for the U.S. Haidar Khan, who owns the pine nut fields, said about 150 workers were there for harvesting, with some still missing as well as the confirmed dead and injured.Ī survivor of the drone strike said about 200 laborers were sleeping in five tents pitched near the farm when the attack happened. Retuers reported that there may be more farmers missing: "Some of us managed to escape, some were injured, but many were killed," said farm laborer Juma Gul. The farmers had just finished work and were sitting by a fire when the strike happened, according to tribal elder Malik Rahat Gul. "Some of us managed to escape, some were injured, but many were killed." -Juma Gul, farm worker drone attack killed 30 pine nut farmers and wounded at least 40 others in Afghanistan Wednesday night, the latest killing of innocent civilians by American forces as the "war on terror" enters its 19th year. "We had huddled together around small bonfires and we were discussing the security situation in our villages, but suddenly everything changed," said survivor Akram Sultan. Twelve days later, a drone strike hit a camp of workers. 7, was sent in an effort to help protect laborers from getting caught in clashes between U.S.-backed Afghan forces and Islamic State fighters in the mountainous terrain largely controlled by the jihadists. The letter, seen by Reuters and dated Sept. On Thursday, Common Dreams reported on the strike, which was decribed as a "total massacre" by journalist Emran Feroz.Īccording to Reuters, village elders from the Wazir Tangi area of Nangarhar province on September 7 sent a letter to the region's governor alerting him to the fact they planned to have as many as 200 laborers picking pine nuts. "My son and his friends were killed by the Americans," village chief Malak Khaiyali Khan told Reuters. drone strike on Wednesday, raising more questions about the attack that killed 30 farmers and wounded 40 more. Afghan officials knew for over a week that civilians were in the area bombed by a U.S.
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