The U.S. military is investigating whether a strike intending to take out a senior terrorist leader days ago resulted in the death of a Syrian civilian, a Pentagon official confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The news follows reports from local sources that a 60-year old man perished during the May 3 strike in the village of Qorqanya in northwest Syria, who relatives and neighbors said worked as a farmer and had no connection to terrorist organizations, The Associated Press reported. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is now conducting a review of the attack to confirm the identity of the target.
“We are aware of the allegations of a civilian casualty and the outcome of the confirmation process will inform if further investigation is necessary and how it should proceed,” Maj. John Moore, a CENTCOM spokesperson, told the DCNF.
An initial statement from U.S. Central Command first announced a unilateral strike in northwest Syria targeting a senior Al Qaeda operative on May 3 but gave scant details. It said further information would be provided once “operational details” became available. (RELATED: Biden Gives Himself Final Say On All Drone Strikes Outside War Zones)
“Each mission is meticulously planned and executed to maximize success and minimize the risk of collateral damage and harm to civilians. In keeping with standard operating procedure, we are in the process of confirming the identity of the individual killed in the strike,” Moore said.
April 2023 Month in Review: The Defeat ISIS Mission in Iraq and Syriahttps://t.co/VsMSsXHMT4 pic.twitter.com/o9dObCCV64
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 5, 2023
The White Helmets, a local civil defense organization, said it responded to sounds of an explosion at the site and found that Lutfi Hassan Masto, the 60-year-old farmer and shepherd, had died while tending his sheep, the AP reported.
Reports that Masto was involved with armed groups are “absolute lies” and his killing was “an injustice and an aggression,” the alleged victim’s brother, Mohamed Masto, told the AP.
“He had nothing to do with the revolution. … He had nothing to do with the Al-Nusra Front or with the Islamic State” or any of the other armed groups involved in the ongoing Syrian conflict, Masto told the outlet.
A neighbor of Masto’s also told the AP that Masto, known to many by the nickname “Abu Hassan,” was a civilian and owned a farm with cows, sheep and poultry.
The U.S. maintains a presence of roughly 900 troops to combat Iran-backed militias, the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations that have taken advantage of the lawless environment following Syria’s 2012 civil war, the AP reported. Most operations are conducted alongside local partner forces.
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