The probe acknowledged that the US troops committed policy compliance deficiencies in the aftermath of the airstrikes, but said that no one, including the ground force commander, was disciplined as a result of the strike.

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III ordered a new review of the airstrike “to improve the way it processes reports of civilian casualties.”

“The review concluded the strike was conducted consistent with the Law of War but made several recommendations for improving processes and training, which I endorse. Nevertheless, I was disappointed to learn that several aspects of the original incident review missed deadlines, accepted informational deficiencies that prevented making complete assessments, and was left open for many months,” he said.

On 18 March 2019, the Talon Anvil special operations group, a Delta Force unit within the larger Task Force 9 of the United States Armed Forces, carried out an airstrike using an F-15E fighter-attack aircraft in Al-Baghuz Fawqani, Syria, leading to the deaths of 80 people, 64 of whom were civilians.

It was one of the largest civilian casualty incidents of the war against ISIL.

The incident was concealed by the U.S. military and was first reported on 14 November 2021 by The New York Times. (ILKHA)