Deadly Skies: Examining The Toll Of Drone Strikes In Afghanistan

Since 2001, the United States government has conducted multiple drone strikes in Afghanistan, with the number of strikes increasing under the presidency of Donald Trump. By 2021, there had been at least 13,074 airstrikes conducted by the US, resulting in the deaths of at least 4,138 people, including civilians and children. The US drone strikes in Afghanistan have led to criticism and concerns over civilian casualties, with organisations like Amnesty International questioning the legality of such attacks. The lack of transparency around civilian casualties and the high number of strikes highlight the devastating impact of the US air war in Afghanistan.

US drone strikes in Afghanistan have killed civilians, including children

Since 2001, the United States government has conducted multiple drone strikes in Afghanistan. These strikes have resulted in civilian casualties, including children.

On August 29, 2021, a US drone strike in Kabul killed 10 civilians, including seven children. The strike targeted a car at a family home, which the military believed belonged to an ISIS-K terrorist. However, it was later revealed that the car belonged to an aid worker, and the "explosives" in the trunk were containers of water. This incident sparked a debate about the rules for airstrikes and the protection of civilians in drone warfare.

According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ), US strikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen from 2002 to 2020 killed between 10,000 and 17,000 people, with civilians accounting for 800 to 1,750 of those deaths. The BIJ also reported that between 2009 and 2016, civilians made up between 7.27% and 15.47% of deaths in US drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia.

In Afghanistan specifically, the lack of transparency around civilian casualties has been concerning. On September 17, 2021, the US Department of Defense confirmed that an August 2021 drone strike in Kabul that killed 10 civilians, including seven children, was a "tragic mistake." This incident prompted the US military to acknowledge the heightened risk of error when conducting drone strikes in densely populated areas.

The issue of civilian casualties in US drone strikes is not new. In 2016, President Barack Obama ordered the CIA to publish civilian drone strike deaths outside of active war zones, but this order was revoked by President Donald Trump in 2019. During his presidency, the number of drone strikes increased significantly compared to the previous administration.

Overall, the US drone strikes in Afghanistan have resulted in the deaths of at least 310 civilians and 73 children as of 2021. The true number of civilian casualties may be higher due to the lack of transparency and the challenges of tracking strikes in inaccessible areas.

Drone strikes have been conducted by the US government since 2001

The number of drone strikes in Afghanistan has varied depending on the US administration. During the presidency of Donald Trump, it was estimated that drone strikes increased four to five times compared to the previous administration of Barack Obama. Trump also revoked an Obama-era order from 2016 that required the CIA to publish civilian drone strike deaths outside of active war zones.

The high number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan due to US drone strikes has been a significant concern. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ), for example, reported that US strikes in Afghanistan and other countries from 2002 to 2020 killed between 10,000 and 17,000 people, with civilians accounting for between 800 and 1,750 of those deaths.

The Obama administration implemented stricter standards for civilian casualties in 2011, requiring "near certainty" of no civilian deaths for strikes in undeclared theaters of operations. This policy shift significantly reduced civilian casualties in Pakistan, offering a potential model for minimizing civilian deaths in the future.

Despite efforts to reduce civilian casualties, botched drone strikes continue to occur. On August 29, 2021, a US drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, killed 10 civilians, including seven children. This incident sparked further debates about the rules for airstrikes and the protection of civilians in drone warfare.

Overall, US drone strikes in Afghanistan have resulted in a significant number of civilian casualties, prompting ongoing discussions about the ethical and legal implications of such strikes.

Drone strikes increased under the Trump administration

Drone strikes in Afghanistan have been a feature of US military strategy since 2001. However, the number and intensity of these strikes have varied under different presidential administrations. Under President Donald Trump, the US witnessed a significant increase in drone strikes, not just in Afghanistan but also in other countries like Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan.

During the Obama administration, efforts were made to impose stricter guidelines on drone strikes to minimize civilian casualties. In 2013, Obama implemented a "near certainty" standard, requiring near certainty that no civilians would be harmed and that a target was present. This standard was a result of intense scrutiny and criticism from human rights organizations and the United Nations.

However, upon taking office in 2017, President Trump relaxed these restrictions, reverting to the more permissive "reasonable certainty" standard, initially adopted by the Bush administration. Trump's rules gave commanders in the field more flexibility to make decisions about attacks, allowing exceptions to the "near certainty" standard if certain bureaucratic procedures were followed.

Trump's approach to drone strikes was characterized by a lack of transparency and accountability. The number of drone strikes in Afghanistan and other countries surged under his administration. According to a report by The Associated Press and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Trump carried out 176 strikes in Yemen in his first two years, compared to 154 during Obama's entire tenure.

Trump's rules for drone strikes were kept secret and only came to light due to transparency lawsuits filed by media organizations and civil liberties groups. These rules demonstrated a disregard for meaningful constraints on the use of lethal force, with devastating consequences for civilians.

The increase in drone strikes under Trump had severe repercussions. In September 2019, a US drone strike intended to hit an Islamic State hideout in Afghanistan killed 30 pine-nut farmers. Similarly, in August 2021, a drone strike in Kabul killed 10 Afghan civilians, including seven children.

The Biden administration has suspended Trump's rules for drone strikes and is reviewing policies to tighten guidelines and reduce civilian casualties.

The Afghan Air Force has also carried out strikes in Afghanistan

The Afghan Air Force (AAF) has also carried out strikes in Afghanistan. Since June 1, 2016, the AAF has conducted at least 41 strike-capable operations. On January 1, 2018, the AAF carried out a strike in the Nish district, killing Mullah Lal Mohammad, a local Taliban leader, and injuring 11 others. On April 6, 2018, an AAF strike killed eight militants in the Farghamerawi locality of Wardoj district.

The AAF was established in 1921 under the reign of King Amanullah and was significantly modernized by King Zahir Shah in the 1960s. During the 1980s, the Soviet Union built up the AAF, aiming to defeat the mujahideen and preserve the pro-Soviet government. The AAF may have had around 350 aircraft in 1992, but this number decreased to 35-40 during the civil war in the 1990s. In 2006, the Afghan National Army Air Corps was established and later renamed the AAF in 2010. Since 2007, the US-led Combined Air Power Transition Force has worked to rebuild and modernize the AAF.

The AAF has played a significant role in countering militant groups and providing air support for ground forces. However, following the withdrawal of NATO forces and the Taliban offensive in 2021, the AAF largely disintegrated, with many airmen fleeing the country or standing down. The Taliban expressed their intention to rebuild the AAF and called on US-trained Afghan pilots to return.

The US has faced criticism and scrutiny for civilian casualties

Since 2001, the US government has conducted multiple drone strikes in Afghanistan, with the number of strikes increasing under the presidency of Donald Trump. The drone strikes have resulted in civilian casualties, leading to criticism and scrutiny of the US's actions.

On 29 August 2021, a US drone strike killed 10 civilians, including seven children, in Kabul. The US military apologised for the "tragic mistake", saying that there was no connection between the target, Zemari Ahmadi, and ISIS-Khorasan, and that Ahmadi's activities were "completely harmless". This incident has raised questions about the future of US counter-terrorism strikes in Afghanistan and the risks associated with them.

The high number of civilian casualties has led to criticism from non-governmental and international organisations, such as Amnesty International and the United Nations. There have also been questions about the legality of drone attacks and violations of sovereignty. In response to the growing criticism, the Obama administration implemented a "near certainty" standard of no civilian casualties during strikes in undeclared theatres of operations, which significantly reduced civilian casualties in Pakistan.

The Biden administration has also faced calls to reduce civilian casualties during drone strikes. Despite the US military's assertion that it works to avoid harming civilians, the strike in Kabul on 29 August 2021, which killed 10 civilians, indicates that more needs to be done to protect innocent lives.

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