The US-led anti-ISIS coalition forces admitted that over 50 civilians were killed in airstrikes carried out on the town of Manbij northeast of Aleppo on Tuesday. The US-led coalition blamed the incident on information the coalition forces obtained from the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a militia force fighting under the command of the Kurdish PYD in Syria. The information turned out to be false.
Spokesman for the US-led coalition Colonel Christopher Garver said the attack on Manbij was carried out based on information obtained by the coalition from an SDF-affiliated military group.
In a letter sent to the foreign ministers of the international anti-ISIS coalition in the wake of the horrific massacre near Manbij, President of the Syrian Coalition Anas Alabdah demanded an immediate suspension of military operations of the international anti-ISIS coalition in Syria to allow for a thorough investigation into these incidents.
“It is essential that such an investigation not only results in revised rules of procedure for future operations, but also informs accountability for those responsible for such major violations,” the letter said.
Amnesty International on Thursday urged forces of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition carrying out airstrikes in Syria to redouble efforts to prevent civilian deaths and investigate possible violations of international humanitarian law.
Local activists confirmed that over 125 civilians, including many children and women, were killed in airstrikes by the US-led coalition forces on the village of Altokhar near the town of Manbej northeast of Aleppo on July 19th. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Agencies)
