
The International Coalition forces "probably" played a role in the deaths of numerous civilians during a recent airstrike in west Mosul, US commander of the coalition in Iraq said. "We probably had a role in those casualties," US General Stephen Townsend, who commands the Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, told reporters in a phone briefing from Baghdad. "If those innocents were killed, it was an unintentional accident of war," he said.
The March 17 airstrike on west Mosul has killed up to 150 people, according to Amnesty International, though Iraqi civil defense has reported a much higher figure.
Townsend added that the recent rise in civilian casualties in Mosul was "fairly predictable" given the densely populated urban neighborhoods that ISIS fighters are defending against Iraqi government troops. However, Amnesty on Tuesday accused coalition forces of failing to protect civilians in Mosul.
The rights group said evidence gathered from the ground "points to an alarming pattern of US-led coalition airstrikes which have destroyed whole houses with entire families inside". It added that any failure to take precautions to prevent civilian casualties would be "in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law".
Townsend said the building hit March 17 could not have been demolished by a single bomb. He did not rule out the possibility that that the extensive damage was caused by an ISIS truck bomb.
He said it was also possible that the civilians killed had been "forced" to remain in the building by ISIS. The US has launched an investigation into the deadly strike.
Source: QNA
GMT 16:26 2018 Wednesday ,29 August
Morocco, Cuba Start 'Unprecedented and Historic Era' in their RelationsGMT 16:13 2018 Wednesday ,29 August
Morocco, Dominican Republic Discuss Means to Promote CooperationGMT 18:51 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Tensions mount in Rohingya camps ahead of planned relocation to MyanmarGMT 18:47 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Macron shares African outrage on Trump’s vulgar languageGMT 18:41 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Jordan urges Pence to rebuild trust after Jerusalem pivotGMT 18:37 2018 Sunday ,21 January
UN Security Council to discuss Syria on MondayGMT 18:23 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Iraqi court sentences to death German woman who joined DaeshGMT 18:19 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Turkish state media say Turkey’s ground forces have entered Syrian Kurdish enclave
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor