U.S. airstrike in Syria may have killed 50 civilians
Source: Mclatchy
A U.S.-led coalition airstrike killed at least 50 Syrian civilians late last month when it targeted a headquarters of Islamic State extremists in northern Syria, according to an eyewitness and a Syrian opposition human rights organization.
The civilians were being held in a makeshift jail in the town of Al Bab, close to the Turkish border, when the aircraft struck on the evening of Dec. 28, the witnesses said. The building, called the Al Saraya, a government center, was leveled in the airstrike. It was days before civil defense workers could dig out the victims bodies.
The U.S. Central Command, which had not previously announced the airstrike, confirmed the attack Saturday in response to repeated McClatchy inquiries. Coalition aircraft did strike and destroy an ISIL headquarters building in Al Bab on Dec. 28, Col. Patrick S. Ryder said in an email.
He said a review of the airstrike showed no evidence of civilian casualties but offered to examine any additional information, since we take all allegations seriously. ISIL is an alternative name for the Islamic State.
Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2015/01/11/252671_us-airstrike-in-syria-may-have.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2015/01/11/252671_us-airstrike-in-syria-may-have.html
We criticize Assad for collateral damage. Seems impossible to avoid when battling Jihadists embedded in towns and cities.
Turbineguy
(37,345 posts)is good propaganda for IS. On the other hand, it's 50 children they can't use for "suicide" bombers. So they have reason to be pissed.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Accidents happen. Since all Muslims are responsible for the intentional deaths in Paris - a point you've made repeatedly here - this is just balancing the score. That's why there aren't days of coverage of accidental bombings and dronings of people in these areas.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)to choose.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)We "balanced the score" on Pearl Harbor, which was a military installation in a territory that was not a US state by blowing the bejeezus out of a shitload of kids in Japan.
And by "worked up", I mean that it's not as if there is going to be some sort of worldwide outcry or demonstrations or anything like that, just as there is no particular concern about many of the other targeting mishaps with drones or anything else.
These lives don't matter much.
EX500rider
(10,849 posts)Fred Drum
(293 posts)don't they know better?
muriel_volestrangler
(101,322 posts)The missile was very powerful and destroyed the building completely, said al Ali. According to the information we gathered, 80 bodies were found after the strike, 25 of them are Islamic State fighters and the rest are prisoners. More than half of those were believed to be civilians held for violations of Sharia.
So it's unlikely many, if any, of these were children.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)EX500rider
(10,849 posts)Seems unlikely.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Takashi Zara
(34 posts)No, I suppose not:--trendy fads like hashtag politics only pay attention to important (that is to say, easily marketable) victims.
Ed note: By Saraya, I of course refer to the building site of the latest "Coalition" massacre in the Mideast, not the crap metal band from the 80s.
KingCharlemagne
(7,908 posts)anti-fascists (including women and children) died in a fire set by Kiev's fascist paras in Odessa, Ukraine back in May. More proof of your larger point, I'd say.
ronnie624
(5,764 posts)R. Daneel Olivaw
(12,606 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Human shields or we bombed a sharia jail either way it sucks. We keep complaining Assad is killing civilians, killing terrorists can be an ugly business.
Ash_F
(5,861 posts)Nice job, top brass!
"Rebel commanders say they have intelligence that could avoid civilian casualties, but that U.S. officials refuse to coordinate with them."
Yeah that's because they don't give a shit about you.