WASHINGTON: The United States is investigating whether an airstrike it said targeted a senior Al-Qaeda leader in Syria instead resulted in the death of a civilian, the military`s Central Command said on Friday.
`Centcom continues to assess the outcome of the strike and has been made aware of allegations that the strike may have resulted in a civilian casualty,` spokesman Major John Moore said.
The command is `investigating to determine whether or not the action may have unintentionally resulted in harm to civilians,` Maj Moore added.
The US had earlier claimed it had targeted a `senior Al-Qaeda leader` in northwest Syria.
However, the brother of the person, Lotfi Hassan Masto, killed in the strike on the outskirts of the village of Qurqania, said he had no Al-Qaeda ties.
Hewas`notinAl-Qaeda and everything being said about him being in Al-Qaeda or in the Nusra Front is all lies upon lies.
The American propaganda is all false,` said Mohammed Masto, 72.
He said his brother was around 60, owned a chicken farm, had 12 children, and `was tending to his sheep in the mountain when the aircraft came and targeted him.
`He was happy with his life and everyone loved him and appreciated him.
He minded his own business and lived at the edge of the village,` the elder brother added.
The US has 1,000 troops deployed in Syria to what it called combat jihadists.-Agencies
