Pentagon says US strikes may have killed Syrian civilians

The Pentagon said Tuesday it launched various strikes on Daesh in Syria over the past several days, including hits on some targets that "may have resulted in civilian casualties."

The US military has admitted its airstrikes in Syria over the past several days "may have resulted in civilian casualties."

The military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on Tuesday that it launched multiple attacks against Daesh (ISIL) terrorists in Syria during last week.

It said US warplanes may have targeted civilians in their strikes near the cities of Raqqah, Dayr al-Zawr, and Shaddadah.

In the September 10 airstrike "near Raqqah, Syria, a strike against an ISIL target may have resulted in the death of civilians near where the strike occurred," CENTCOM said.

On September 7, a strike near Dayr al-Zawr struck a civilian vehicle that drove into the target area after the weapon was fired from the jet.

CENTCOM added that a similar incident also happened near Shaddadah where a strike against ISIL hit a non-military vehicle.

The CENTCOM statement did not give the number of dead or injured. 

Daesh terrorists still control parts of Iraq and Syria. They are engaged in crimes against humanity in the areas under their control.

Smoke rises over Syrian town of Kobani after a US airstrike, as seen from the Mursitpinar border crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border in the town of Suruc. (Reuters file photo)

A picture taken on April 28, 2016 shows a general view of the damaged Al-Quds hospital building following airstrikes on the neighborhood of Sukkari in the city of Aleppo. (By AFP) 

US warplanes have been conducting airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq since August 2014. Some Western states have also participated in some of the strikes in Iraq.

Since September 2014, the US and some of its Arab allies have been carrying out airstrikes against Daesh inside Syria without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate.

The US-led coalition has done little to stop Daesh's advances in Syria and Iraq. Some analysts have criticized the US-led military campaign, saying the strikes are only meant to benefit US weapons manufacturers.

The US-led aerial campaign in Syria has also been criticized for lack of efficiency and high civilian casualties. In July, a US airstrike reportedly killed at least 70 civilians, mostly women and children near Manbij in northern Syria.