US orders new investigation into airstrike that could have killed dozens of Syrian civilians

The US Defence Secretary ordered a new investigation Monday into an airstrike in Syria 2019 that killed up to 64 civilians and which the military has been accused of trying to cover up.

World 18:00 30.11.2021
US Defence Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III ordered a new investigation Monday into an American airstrike in Syria two years ago that could have killed dozens of women and children, the Pentagon said. 
 
US General Michael Garrett, head of the Army Forces Command, has 90 days to examine the airstrike that occurred on 18 March 2019 in Baghouz Syria, the last hold-out of the Islamic State group.
 
The inquiry will look at the number of civilian casualties, if the laws of war were violated, possible mistakes in record-keeping, and whether measures from previous inquiries were heeded. 
 
This is one of several probes into the incident, among the largest episodes of civilian casualties in the war against IS, which the US military did not publicly acknowledge until pressed by reporters, according to the New York Times. As many as 64 civilians may have died in the attack.
 
“[General Garrett] will review the reports of [the] investigation already conducted” and "will conduct further inquiry into the facts and circumstances related to [the incident]," Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said on Monday.
 
The New York Times claimed previous reports into this attack were "delayed, sanitized and classified", accusing the US military of a cover-up. 
 
Although a US task force concluded there had been no wrongdoing, legal officers have flagged the bombing as a possible war crime.
 
US Central Command did not follow up on the probe, so senior officials in Iraq and the United States never reviewed the strike, according to the newspaper. 
 
Those who witnessed the strike said "senior ranking US military officials intentionally and systematically circumvented the deliberate strike process," reported NYT.  
 
"The highest levels of government remained unaware of what was happening on the ground," they said. 
 
The US daily reported that three bombs were dropped on a crowd of women and children huddled against a riverbank next to a camp.
 
The attack was carried out by Task Force 9, a classified American special operations unit in charge of ground operations in Syria. 
 
The target was a small patch of land next to an IS camp in the final days of the group's so-called caliphate. 
 
Fighters trapped in the camp launched a predawn counteroffensive with rifles and grenades, according to US Central Command. 
 
The US military said the task force tracked a group of fighters as they made their way through the camp to the riverbank and dropped bombs after assessing with a low-quality camera that no civilians were present. 
 
However, military personnel accused the secretive task force of sidestepping procedures by claiming there was an imminent threat. The military personal said this threat was not present, according to NYT. 
 
US military operations in Qatar were confused and alarmed by the incident as they watched on a high-quality drone, with lawyers immediately questioning the necessity and legality of the strike, the newspaper reported.  
 
It was only after the US newspaper told Central Command about their investigation that the military acknowledged some 80 deaths. It is estimated that 16 fighters and four civilians died. It is unclear whether or not the other 60 were civilians. 
 
Human rights groups have criticised the US military for grading their own homework over the incident. 
 
"I've seen these investigations into civilian deaths in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. In none of them was anyone held accountable," said Sarah Holewinski, Washington director of Human Rights Watch.
 
Nearly 1,000 US strikes hit targets in Syria and Iraq in 2019. 
 
The official military tally of civilian dead for that entire year is only 22. The strike from 18 March is not on the list. 

 

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Brazil’s president sounds alarm over multilateralism crisis, condemns Gaza genocide at BRICS summit
11:30 08.07.2025
Protest Held in London Backing Pro-Palestine March Organizers Accused of Offences
11:15 08.07.2025
Japan to make diplomatic efforts to ensure implementation of Israel-Iran ceasefire: Top diplomat
11:00 08.07.2025
Trump Holds Talks with Netanyahu at the White House
10:45 08.07.2025
Trump says US has 'scheduled Iran talks'
10:30 08.07.2025
Trump says US will supply weapons to Ukraine
10:15 08.07.2025
Priorities of Azerbaijan's international development policy discussed
10:00 08.07.2025
US to impose 25% duties on imports from Kazakhstan from August
09:45 08.07.2025
Plans for border delimitation, demarcation with Armenia discussed in Baku
09:30 08.07.2025
Israel wants to coordinate with US on possibility of new strikes on Iran
09:15 08.07.2025
Netanyahu nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize
09:00 08.07.2025
Geno rejects signing of 38-year-old Jamie Vardy
21:00 07.07.2025
Gaza death toll passes 57,500 as Israeli attacks continue unabated
20:45 07.07.2025
Russian emergencies minister arrives in Baku
20:25 07.07.2025
Trump due to meet Netanyahu at White House
20:15 07.07.2025
Russia attacks recruitment centers in Ukraine's Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia
20:00 07.07.2025
Pezeshkian says Israel attempted assassination against him
19:45 07.07.2025
Iran has military capability to strike Israel daily for 2 years, IRGC adviser says
19:20 07.07.2025
US envoy says ‘satisfied’ with Lebanese response on roadmap to disarm Hezbollah
19:00 07.07.2025
Peskov: Russia, Azerbaijan should remain close partners, allies
18:45 07.07.2025
The Gulf Observer: Armenians' destruction of Azerbaijan's cultural heritage - vandalism against all humanity
18:30 07.07.2025
Official: Nearly 1M foreigners arrived in Azerbaijan in 5 months of 2025
18:15 07.07.2025
Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijan Army visits Saudi Arabia
18:00 07.07.2025
Israeli PM approved Yemen airstrikes during his flight to US
17:45 07.07.2025
Expert: ECO Summit in Khankendi confirmed member countries' desire for inclusive, multipolar world
17:30 07.07.2025
AZAL introduces new online service
17:15 07.07.2025
Poland imposes checks on German and Lithuanian borders amid migration fears
17:00 07.07.2025
Saudi Arabia raises August oil prices for Asia, Europe buyers
16:45 07.07.2025
EU Reporter: Karabakh region became platform for int'l forums
16:15 07.07.2025
Georgian PM says direct foreign interference in democratic elections failed
16:00 07.07.2025
Typhoon Danas kills two in Taiwan, injures over 500
15:45 07.07.2025
'Coalition of the Willing' may fall apart over Starmer-Macron conflict
15:30 07.07.2025
Former Adjara head hospitalized with gunshot wound in Georgia
15:15 07.07.2025
Scientists reveal how caffeine slows down aging
15:00 07.07.2025
Thailand to offer US more trade concessions to avert 36% tariff
14:45 07.07.2025
Putin dismisses transport minister
14:30 07.07.2025
Israel carries out strikes on Houthi-controlled power station, ports across Yemen
14:15 07.07.2025
UK to name Iran as one of its biggest threats
14:00 07.07.2025
Armenia rejects possibility of using country's territory for military purposes
13:45 07.07.2025
Mexico defeats US for second consecutive Gold Cup title
13:30 07.07.2025
Hamısı