Airstrike in Syria killed civilian, not terrorist, US says

U.S. Central Command said Thursday that a May 3, 2023, airstrike in Syria targeting a senior al-Qaeda leader instead killed civilian Lufti Hasan Masto.

A CENTCOM statement said, “The investigation determined U.S. forces misidentified the intended al-Qaeda target and that a civilian, Mr. Lufti Hasan Masto, was struck and killed instead. Many of the facts and other findings of the investigation involve classified information and cannot be shared publicly.”

CENTCOM said what it can share is the strike “was conducted in compliance with the law of armed conflict as well as Department of Defense and CENTCOM policies.”

Social media accounts shortly after the strike identified Masto as a victim of the strike.

The investigation found several issues that CENTCOM said could be improved.

“U.S. Central Command acknowledges and regrets the civilian harm that resulted from the airstrike,” Centcom’s statement said. “We take all reports of civilian harm caused by U.S. military operations seriously and continue to employ thorough and deliberate targeting and strike processes to minimize civilian harm.”

The strike investigation, conducted by Army Brigadier General John P. Cogbill, wrapped up Nov. 15, 2023. More than 40 witnesses were interviewed and investigators conducted site visits in the United States, Iraq and Jordan.

Masto, identified by his family as the person killed in the U.S. military strike, was a former bricklayer who died tending sheep when a U.S. Hellfire missile hit him.

CENTCOM said it will use lessons learned in this investigation as it seeks to adhere to the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan mandated by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to limit civilian casualties.

That process, CENTCOM said, includes “a thorough review and vetting of lawful targets prior to a strike and another review after each strike.”