WASHINGTON, 22 January 2022, (TON): A Muslim-American advocacy group said “any Pentagon official directly involved in a botched airstrike in Afghanistan last year should resign, including US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also called for the resignation of any military officials who had a direct role in approving the drone strike that killed 10 civilians in August.

The demand came a day after the Pentagon released a video of the attack.

CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said the video shows "the Pentagon launched a reckless attack that was guaranteed to kill innocent people in a densely-packed neighbourhood".

Mitchell said "this attack was not simply an honest mistake or a rare occurrence; it was the latest in a long line of reckless drone strikes that have killed innocent people at homes, weddings and funerals in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and elsewhere.”

He added "any Pentagon leaders who played a direct role in approving the horrific massacre of these innocent people including seven children should take responsibility by stepping down. If Secretary Austin was directly involved in approving the strike, he should resign.”

The Defence Department ruled out any punishment to US soldiers involved in the drone strike, which triggered global condemnation.