That drone strike: a teeny-tiny query

UPDATE: apparently it was a new, horrible slicing-up weapon, one of a family of ghastly new inventions as discussed here: https://theconversation.com/bladed-ninja-missile-used-to-kill-al-qaida-leader-is-part-of-a-scary-new-generation-of-unregulated-weapons-188316

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Two intelligence sources tell Fox News Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al Zawahiri was killed in the CIA drone strike. "Over the weekend, the United States conducted a counterterrorism operation against a significant Al Qaeda target in Afghanistan," the senior administration official told Fox News. "The operation was successful and there were no civilian casualties." 

- https://www.fox5ny.com/news/biden-announces-counterterrorism-operation-al-qaida-afghanistan

Why is the qualifier 'civilian' there?

Does it imply that there were others? Another account I hear said he was standing on a balcony - all alone in a big house?

If there were other casualties, what would make them non-civilian? Being members of his family?

A fuller account, please.