Austin regrets loss of US soldiers, Afghan civilians

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Pentagon chief regrets the loss of American soldiers and Afghan civilians just before the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“I regret the fact that we lost 13 of our finest at Abbey Gate. I regret that we lost 10 civilians in an errant strike,” the defense secretary said on Saturday.

Lloyd Austin reacted with awkward silence to a query about his regrets regarding the muddled pullout of US troops from Afghanistan.

Daily Mail reported Austin was asked the question while taking part in a discussion at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California on Saturday.

However, he hastened to add: “I want to make sure that we don't lose sight of the fact that our American forces, in 17 days, evacuated 124,000 people from Afghanistan.”

In the Islamic State suicide attack on August 26, 13 US troops were killed as they tried to get desperate people on evacuation flights.

At least 10 civilians -- an entire innocent family -- were killed in a mistaken US drone attack in Kabul three days later. Seven children were among the dead.

PAN Monitor/mud