Children were among at least 56 civilians killed in strikes by a US-led coalition on Tuesday near a Syrian village held by the Islamic State group, a monitor said. The civilians had apparently been mistaken for jihadists and were bombed while fleeing fighting in Al-Tukhar in Aleppo province, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. "There are at least 56 dead, including 11 children, and dozens more wounded, including some in critical condition," said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.
The monitor - which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information - says it determines what planes carried out raids according to their type, location, flight patterns and the munitions involved. Asked about the strike, the coalition said it had "conducted air strikes near Manbij... recently" and that it was looking into the reports alleging civilian casualties.
"As with any allegation we receive, we will review any information we have about the incident... such as the proximity of the location" to coalition air strikes, it wrote in an email to AFP. "We take all measures during the targeting process to avoid or minimise civilian casualties or collateral damage and to comply with the principles of the Law of Armed Conflict."
Al-Tukhar lies 14 kilometres (nine miles) north of the town of Manbij, a key IS stronghold that has been repeatedly targeted in raids by the US-led coalition. On Monday, the Observatory said 21 civilians had been killed in coalition raids in the area, 15 of them in a northern district of Manbij and another six in Al-Tukhar. Manbij sits on IS's main supply route between Syria and neighbouring Turkey and has been the target of a US-backed offensive by a Kurdish-Arab alliance of fighters since May 31.