U.S. airstrike in Syria may have killed 50 civilians

[Jesus Malverde]

Source: Mclatchy

A U.S.-led coalition airstrike killed at least 50 Syrian civilians late last month when it targeted a headquarters of Islamic State extremists in northern Syria, according to an eyewitness and a Syrian opposition human rights organization.

The civilians were being held in a makeshift jail in the town of Al Bab, close to the Turkish border, when the aircraft struck on the evening of Dec. 28, the witnesses said. The building, called the Al Saraya, a government center, was leveled in the airstrike. It was days before civil defense workers could dig out the victims’ bodies.

The U.S. Central Command, which had not previously announced the airstrike, confirmed the attack Saturday in response to repeated McClatchy inquiries. “Coalition aircraft did strike and destroy an ISIL headquarters building in Al Bab on Dec. 28,” Col. Patrick S. Ryder said in an email.

He said a review of the airstrike showed no evidence of civilian casualties but offered to examine any additional information, “since we take all allegations seriously.” ISIL is an alternative name for the Islamic State.

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2015/01/11/252671_us-airstrike-in-syria-may-have.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2015/01/11/252671_us-airstrike-in-syria-may-have.html

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We criticize Assad for collateral damage. Seems impossible to avoid when battling Jihadists embedded in towns and cities.

[Turbineguy]

1. 50 dead children

is good propaganda for IS. On the other hand, it's 50 children they can't use for "suicide" bombers. So they have reason to be pissed.

[Fred Sanders]

2. That was not very funny. Dead children usually are not.

[jberryhill]

7. Nobody is going to get worked up over it

Accidents happen. Since all Muslims are responsible for the intentional deaths in Paris - a point you've made repeatedly here - this is just balancing the score. That's why there aren't days of coverage of accidental bombings and dronings of people in these areas.

[Fred Sanders]

14. Balancing the score with dead children is even sicker. And some folks do get worked up..you are free

to choose.

[jberryhill]

17. That's how we do things

We "balanced the score" on Pearl Harbor, which was a military installation in a territory that was not a US state by blowing the bejeezus out of a shitload of kids in Japan.

And by "worked up", I mean that it's not as if there is going to be some sort of worldwide outcry or demonstrations or anything like that, just as there is no particular concern about many of the other targeting mishaps with drones or anything else.

These lives don't matter much.

[EX500rider]

3. Why would any of them be children?

[Fred Drum]

8. why are there children in syria

don't they know better?

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. The people killed "were being held in a makeshift jail"

Huda al Ali, a spokeswoman for the Syrian Network, said its investigation had found that in addition to violators of Sharia law, the two-story building also was being used as a prison for fighters from groups opposed to the Islamic State.

“The missile was very powerful and destroyed the building completely,” said al Ali. “According to the information we gathered, 80 bodies were found after the strike, 25 of them are Islamic State fighters and the rest are prisoners.” More than half of those were believed to be civilians held for violations of Sharia.

So it's unlikely many, if any, of these were children.

[Fred Sanders]

15. So we blew up the jail with ISIS prisoners? Now I feel much better.

[EX500rider]

16. No, why would any prisoners in the Isis HQ/jail that was bombed be children?

Seems unlikely.

[Jesus Malverde]

6. Sounds like a mixture of civilians at the link...nt

[Takashi Zara]

4. #JeSuisAlSaraya hashtag in the makings?

No, I suppose not:--trendy fads like hashtag politics only pay attention to important (that is to say, easily marketable) victims.


Ed note: By Saraya, I of course refer to the building site of the latest "Coalition" massacre in the Mideast, not the crap metal band from the 80s.

[KingCharlemagne]

11. I don't recall ever seeing a #JeSuisOdessa hashtag when 100+ real

anti-fascists (including women and children) died in a fire set by Kiev's fascist paras in Odessa, Ukraine back in May. More proof of your larger point, I'd say.

[ronnie624]

5. I don't remember any rallies or condemnation by world leaders over this. n/t

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

18. I'm sure they are all getting ready for a photo op in front of their handiwork.

[Recursion]

9. So, ISIS had them in jail, and we blew up the jail? (nt)

[Jesus Malverde]

12. Sounds like it.

Human shields or we bombed a sharia jail either way it sucks. We keep complaining Assad is killing civilians, killing terrorists can be an ugly business.

[Ash_F]

10. Aaaand ISIS gets more support from Syrians

Nice job, top brass!

"Rebel commanders say they have intelligence that could avoid civilian casualties, but that U.S. officials refuse to coordinate with them."

Yeah that's because they don't give a shit about you.