US drone strike kills nine members of one family in Kabul

A US drone strike in Afghanistan on Sunday killed nine members of one family, according to local reports.

The United States carried out a defensive airstrike in the Afghan capital, Kabul, targeting a suspected ISIL suicide bomber who posed an "imminent" threat to the airport, US Central Command said Sunday, CNN reported.

The US military acknowledged later Sunday that there are reports of civilian casualties following the strike.

"We know that there were substantial and powerful subsequent explosions resulting from the destruction of the vehicle, indicating a large amount of explosive material inside that may have caused additional casualties. It is unclear what may have happened, and we are investigating further," Capt. Bill Urban, the spokesman for US Central Command, said in a statement.

The statement followed CNN's reporting that nine members of one family, including six children, were killed in the drone strike, according to a brother of one of those killed, who spoke to a local journalist working with CNN.

RHM/PR