The US has acknowledged that its airstrike in Syria last year resulted in the unintended killing of a civilian, who was mistaken for a senior Al-Qaeda leader. The incident, which occurred on May 3, prompted an investigation by US Central Command (CENTCOM), the findings of which were recently disclosed. While the investigation concluded that the airstrike was carried out in accordance with the law of armed conflict and relevant Department of Defense and CENTCOM policies, it also identified areas for improvement.
The investigation, completed in November 2023, was made public on Thursday, although many details remain classified. Despite this, the summary of the report affirmed the commitment to learning from the incident and enhancing targeting processes to minimize civilian harm in future operations.
The victim of the airstrike, Loutfi Hassan Mesto, was identified by his family as a farmer rather than an Al-Qaeda leader. However, an official investigation into the incident was not initiated by the US government until nearly eight weeks later. The delay in releasing the findings was attributed to coordination challenges among various organizations involved in the investigation.
Despite the tragic outcome and the misidentification of the victim, Mesto's family did not receive compensation for their loss. The defense official cited considerations regarding the appropriateness of compensation but ultimately decided against it. This decision underscores the complexities and challenges involved in addressing civilian casualties resulting from military operations.
