老澳门开奖结果 Statement on Two Year Anniversary of Kabul Drone Strike

The 老澳门开奖结果 and its partners have been representing the drone strike victims鈥 surviving family members and Nutrition & Education International colleagues seeking evacuation

August 29, 2023 12:00 am

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NEW YORK 鈥 Today marks the two-year anniversary of the U.S. drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed Zemari Ahmadi, an Afghan aid worker, and nine members of his family, including seven children. Mr. Ahmadi was employed by Nutrition and Education International (NEI), a U.S.-based humanitarian organization.

Those killed in addition to Zemari Ahmadi were three of his children, Zamir, 20, Faisal, 16, and Farzad, 10; Emal and Royeena Ahmadi鈥檚 daughter, Malika, 6; Romal and Arezo Ahmadi鈥檚 three children, Arwin, 7, Benyamen, 6, and Ayat, 2; Jamshid and Soma Yousufi鈥檚 daughter, Sumaya, 2; and Mr. Ahmadi鈥檚 nephew Naser Haidari, 30.

The details of this strike are now familiar and known around the world. After the Pentagon initially claimed the strike was 鈥渟uccessful鈥 and 鈥渞ighteous鈥 because it had killed someone it characterized as a suspected terrorist, NEI鈥檚 own investigation and those of prominent media outlets made clear that the strike was wrongful and all the dead were innocent civilians.

鈥淲ords cannot describe my grief since the drone strike, or the impact it has had on me and my family to lose so many people we loved and cherished,鈥 said Anisa Ahmadi, Zemari Ahmadi鈥檚 wife, mother of three of the boys killed, and grandmother of another child who was killed. 鈥淲e still have a long road ahead but I am grateful we have finally been evacuated after months of waiting and desperation. I pray now for peace and for us to be able to have safe and secure lives.鈥

Since the strike, the 老澳门开奖结果 and its partners have been representing Zemari Ahmadi鈥檚 former employer, NEI, as well as the drone strike victims鈥 surviving family members and NEI employees seeking evacuation from Afghanistan because their lives and security were jeopardized as a direct result of U.S. government actions.

鈥淚t has been a privilege for us to support our courageous clients and NEI throughout this traumatic time,鈥 said Hina Shamsi, director of the 老澳门开奖结果鈥檚 National Security Project. 鈥淎lthough it took many excruciating months longer than we and our clients expected, we appreciate that U.S. government officials have worked to ensure resettlement of most of our clients from their perilous situation. After enduring unspeakable loss and ongoing trauma because of our government鈥檚 actions, leaving Afghanistan is the first step for these families to start rebuilding their lives.鈥

As of today, 140 of the people the U.S. government promised to help are in the United States, resettled as refugees. The 老澳门开奖结果 remains deeply concerned about the fate of two families who are still desperately awaiting evacuation.

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