LONDON — A British Royal Air Force drone killed four Afghan civilians and injured two more during an attack on a Taliban commander, the Ministry of Defence confirmed Wednesday.

The defence department verified a report in Britain’s Guardian newspaper which revealed that four civilians died when a Reaper drone being controlled from a US Airforce base in Nevada attacked a truck carrying a known commander.

ADVERTISEMENT

“On 25 March, a UK Reaper was tasked to engage and destroy two pick up trucks,” the defence ministry said Wednesday.

“Sadly, four Afghan civilians were also killed and a further two Afghan civilians were injured,” added the ministry “with deep regret”.

Two insurgents were also killed in the attack.

It is the first time a British Reaper drone has been responsible for civilian deaths since the RAF began using the pilotless aircraft over the war-torn nation in 2007.