US-led strikes to isolate IS in Raqqa kill over 170
Print Edition
MORE than 170 civilians have been killed by US-led strikes on Islamic State in Raqqa city in the past week, a spike in casualties since an offensive to oust the militants began more than two months ago, a war monitor said.
The US-led coalition against Islamic State said attacks on militant targets were conducted routinely and the allegation had been sent to their teams for assessment.
The monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 42 people, including 19 children and 12 women, were killed on Monday in strikes that destroyed buildings where families were sheltering.
The Britain-based Observatory said that was the single largest daily death toll since the US-backed Syria Democratic Forces, a group of Kurdish and Arab militias, began their assault on Raqqa last June after a long campaign to isolate IS inside the city.
The US-led coalition says it is careful to avoid civilian casualties in its bombing runs against IS in both Syria and Iraq, and investigates any allegations.
“The coalition respects human life and is assisting partner forces in their effort to liberate their land from ISIS while safeguarding civilians. Our goal is always for zero civilian casualties,” a statement by the Pentagon said
The Observatory said bombs that hit the al-Sakhani and Harat al-Bado districts on Monday were close to a multi-story residential building that had been bombed the day before, killing at least 27 civilians, including seven children.
Former Raqqa residents in touch with relatives gave a higher death toll, saying bodies were still under rubble.
The SDF alliance, spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG militia, has been waging fierce battles inside the Old City area of Raqqa since last month. Fighting is now intensifying near the city center as the US-backed forces close in on IS.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
