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An American drone strike in northwestern Syria a year ago resulted in the unintended killing of a civilian rather than the targeted al-Qaeda leader, the Pentagon revealed following an internal investigation.
"U.S. Central Command recognizes and regrets the civilian casualty caused by the airstrike," stated the combatant command after the year-long probe. It confirmed that the Syrian civilian, Lufti Hasan Masto, was inadvertently killed instead of the intended senior al-Qaeda leader. Initial reports suggested that U.S. forces misidentified the target; however, CENTCOM stated that "the strike was conducted in accordance with the law of armed conflict." It further mentioned that officials adhered to Pentagon and Central Command protocols.
Despite this, CENTCOM acknowledged that its "investigation highlighted several areas for improvement" and expressed a commitment to enhancing its targeting procedures to minimize civilian casualties.
The statement did not mention any potential disciplinary actions nor disclose specific issues found, citing classified information that could not be shared.