The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has admitted that a May 2023 drone strike targeting what was believed to be “senior Al Qaeda leader” in northwest Syria actually killed a civilian.
An investigation into the strike determined that “U.S. forces misidentified the intended Al Qaeda target and that a civilian, Mr. Lufti Hasan Masto, was struck and killed instead.”
Masto, a 56 year old sheep herder from Qorqanya, had no ties to any terrorist organizations.
A statement added that the “U.S. Central Command acknowledges and regrets the civilian harm that resulted from the airstrike” and “We are committed to learning from this incident and improving our targeting processes to mitigate potential civilian harm.”
No information or details were given as to exactly how the strike was botched.
