U.S. Military Concludes Airstrike in Syria Killed Civilian, Not Al Qaeda Leader
Almost a year later, the U.S. military has concluded that an airstrike last May in northwestern Syria killed a civilian, instead of a senior al Qaeda leader, as it initially claimed.
Though the investigation found several areas the command could improve on, according to the summary, it did not recommend any accountability actions for killing a civilian. The investigation concluded the strike complied with the law of armed conflict.
On the day of the strike, CENTCOM in a statement to the media said, "On the morning of May 3, 2023, at 11:42 a.m. Syrian local time, U.S. Central Command forces conducted a unilateral strike in northwest Syria, targeting a senior al Qaeda leader. We will provide more information as operational details become available."
It included a quote from the head of CENTCOM, Gen. Michael Kurilla: "This operation reaffirms CENTCOM's steadfast commitment to the region and the enduring defeat of ISIS and al Qaeda."
Strike Investigation Reveals Civilian Casualty
Following a military strike in Syria, initial reports indicated that a terrorist had been killed. However, subsequent information revealed that the strike had actually resulted in the death of a civilian. The incident occurred on May 3, as reported by a group known as "The White Helmets," who identified the civilian as Masto. According to The White Helmets, Masto was tending to his sheep when the strike occurred, resulting in his death along with several of the sheep.
The investigation into the incident was completed by Investigating officer Brig. Gen. John P. Cogbill on Nov. 15, 2023. Cogbill led a team of 10 senior service members and civilian employees with expertise in intelligence, law of armed conflict, operations, and targeting matters. The team underwent training to eliminate biases, conducted site visits in the United States, Jordan, and Iraq, and interviewed over 40 witnesses as part of the investigation.
Defense Secretary Issues Civilian Harm Mitigation Plan
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has released a Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan in response to incidents of civilian casualties resulting from military actions. This guidance comes in the wake of a recent strike during the withdrawal from Afghanistan, where 10 civilians, including seven children, were killed. The strike, initially targeting an ISIS-K terrorist, was later revealed to have caused civilian casualties, prompting the need for a comprehensive response plan to prevent such incidents in the future.
CENTCOM Committed to Civilian Harm Mitigation
In a recent summary of the investigation, CENTCOM reiterated its commitment to the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan. The organization stated that it would incorporate the lessons learned from this investigation into its future operations.
