US covered up deadly air strikes in Syria, New York Times reports
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGESImage caption,
Air strikes targeted IS militants as their hold on territory was coming to an end
The US military covered up an attack that killed dozens of civilians in Syria, according to an investigation by the New York Times newspaper.
The 2019 attack on so-called Islamic State (IS) fighters killed 80 people - only 16 identified as militants.
An independent investigation into the strike was never conducted, according to the New York Times.
Officials admitted the bombing for the first time this week, but insisted it had been justified.
They said it was unclear if all of those killed aside from the 16 militants had been civilians.
The BBC has contacted the US military for details of the investigation on the strikes of 18 March 2019 in the town of Baghuz in eastern Syria - then the last stronghold of the so-called IS caliphate.
Three bombs were dropped by US jets on a large group of people, despite drone footage showing the presence of civilians, according to the New York Times. It said the strike was ordered by a classified US special operations unit tasked with ground operations in Syria.
Commanders ignored alarm expressed in the immediate aftermath and a subsequent investigation into the incident by the Defence Department's inspector general was "stripped" of any mention of the strike, according to the newspaper. It added that no thorough independent investigation had ever happened.
"Leadership just seemed so set on burying this. No-one wanted anything to do with it," Gene Tate, an official who worked on the case and who was subsequently sacked, told the newspaper.
When it finally acknowledged the strike following the newspaper's investigation, US Central Command said the bombs had killed 16 fighters and four civilians. Of the remaining 60, the US military had concluded that they were not sure they were civilians "in part because women and children in the Islamic State sometimes took up arms".
"In this case, we self-reported and investigated the strike according to our own evidence and take full responsibility for the unintended loss of life," the New York Times cites Cpt Bill Urban, Central Command chief spokesman, as saying.
Air strikes targeted IS militants as their hold on territory was coming to an end
The US military covered up an attack that killed dozens of civilians in Syria, according to an investigation by the New York Times newspaper.
The 2019 attack on so-called Islamic State (IS) fighters killed 80 people - only 16 identified as militants.
An independent investigation into the strike was never conducted, according to the New York Times.
Officials admitted the bombing for the first time this week, but insisted it had been justified.
They said it was unclear if all of those killed aside from the 16 militants had been civilians.
The BBC has contacted the US military for details of the investigation on the strikes of 18 March 2019 in the town of Baghuz in eastern Syria - then the last stronghold of the so-called IS caliphate.
Three bombs were dropped by US jets on a large group of people, despite drone footage showing the presence of civilians, according to the New York Times. It said the strike was ordered by a classified US special operations unit tasked with ground operations in Syria.
Commanders ignored alarm expressed in the immediate aftermath and a subsequent investigation into the incident by the Defence Department's inspector general was "stripped" of any mention of the strike, according to the newspaper. It added that no thorough independent investigation had ever happened.
"Leadership just seemed so set on burying this. No-one wanted anything to do with it," Gene Tate, an official who worked on the case and who was subsequently sacked, told the newspaper.
When it finally acknowledged the strike following the newspaper's investigation, US Central Command said the bombs had killed 16 fighters and four civilians. Of the remaining 60, the US military had concluded that they were not sure they were civilians "in part because women and children in the Islamic State sometimes took up arms".
"In this case, we self-reported and investigated the strike according to our own evidence and take full responsibility for the unintended loss of life," the New York Times cites Cpt Bill Urban, Central Command chief spokesman, as saying.
Many gomens practise censorship. Especially 500 yo or 5000 yo Bully-gomens....
ReplyDeleteQUOTE
China silent on tennis star Peng Shuai despite growing overseas concern
15 Nov 2021
Supporters of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai say she has not been heard from since she posted on Weibo that the country’s vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had sexually assaulted her.
CHINA today stayed silent over growing overseas concern for tennis star Peng Shuai, who has not been heard from since accusing a powerful politician of sexual abuse – the first time the #MeToo movement has reached the top echelons of the ruling Communist Party.
Yesterday, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) said in a statement that Peng’s claims should be “investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship,” after American great Chris Evert had voiced fears for the former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion’s safety.
UNQUOTE
Blurred mfer, that's yr problem of solely depending on western media for yr c&p fart.
DeleteIf u have frequent the Chinese inland media, especially social blogs, u would have noticed that peng's accusation has been a raging fire & the even the CPC central is taking notice to investigate 张高丽， a retired central committee member.
Peng's safety?
Wakakakaka…
She is very attractive in voicing her story - just from her side.
What happened to the voice of 张？ He could say anything, being a high ranking CPC member. His fate is in the hand of the party investigation. If he has flunked the rules, he would be punished just like all those many red tigers!
What to disclose?
ReplyDeleteThese people ain't those well-fed freedom loving people of the West. That r NOTHING!
& those anmokausai bleeding-hearts have kept so miao-miaoly quiet about their idol's atrocities in the label of defending & policing the peace (shit) of the world.
Mmm… what would these mfers think when a similar fate befall upon them?
Wakakakakaka… quick, go ask those bno HK 废青 now doing nothing or odd jobs in the street of pommieland.