US CENTCOM Admits Killing Syrian Civilian in May 2023 Airstrike, Not Al-Qaeda Leader

WASHINGTON, May 2 (Sputnik) - The United States killed a civilian during a May 2023 airstrike in northwestern Syria after misidentifying him as a senior leader of Al-Qaeda (banned in Russia), US Central Command said on Thursday.

“On May 3, 2023, the United States conducted a unilateral counterterrorism air strike in Northwest Syria targeting a senior Al Qaeda leader. Soon after the air strike, reports surfaced the strike may have resulted in a civilian casualty,” Central Command said in a statement. “The investigation determined US forces misidentified the intended Al Qaeda* target and that a civilian, Mr. Lufti Hasan Masto, was struck and killed instead.”

The investigation into the civilian casualty incident concluded in November 2023, the statement said. Investigators interviewed more than 40 witnesses and reviewed both classified and unclassified materials, the statement said.

The investigation concluded that the strike was conducted in compliance with the law of armed conflict and Pentagon policies, the statement said. However, the probe revealed several issues that could be improved, the statement added.

US Central Command acknowledges and regrets the civilian harm from the strike, the statement said.

* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.