US military probe concludes civilian deaths in Iraq strike

By

Robert Burns, The Associated Press

FILE – In this Tuesday, July 22, 2014, file photo, a sign is posted at a checkpoint belonging to the Islamic State group, captured from the Iraqi Army, at the main entrance of Rawah, 175 miles (281 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad, Iraq. Arabic reads, “Islamic State, the Emirate of Anbar, City of Rawah.” The U.S. and its allies are trying to hammer out a coalition to push back the Islamic State group in Iraq. But any serious attempt to destroy the militants or even seriously degrade their capabilities means targeting their infrastructure in Syria. That, however, is far more complicated. If it launches airstrikes against the group in Syria, the U.S. runs the risk of unintentionally strengthening the hand of President Bashar Assad, whose removal the West has actively sought the past three years. Uprooting the Islamic State, which has seized swaths of territory in both Syria and Iraq, would potentially open the way for the Syrian army to fill the vacuum. (AP Photo, File)

WASHINGTON — A U.S. military investigation has concluded that airstrikes against an Islamic State group’s checkpoint in Iraq in March probably killed four civilians, possibly including a child.

U.S. Central Command says the checkpoint was validated as a lawful target before the strikes and that a review determined the attacks didn’t violate international law.

The military says the four civilians emerged from two vehicles parked near the checkpoint after the A-10 attack plane released its weapons.

A Central Command statement expresses regret for what it calls the unintentional loss of civilian lives.

Several other allegations of civilian casualties linked to U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria are under investigation.

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Robert Burns, The Associated Press