U.S. military concludes airstrike in Syria last May killed a civilian, not a terrorist

Almost a year later, the U.S. military has concluded that an airstrike last May in northwestern Syria killed a civilian, instead of a senior al Qaeda leader, as it initially claimed. 

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released a summary Thursday of its investigation into the May 3, 2023 strike saying the investigation found the strike killed civilian Lutfi Hasan Masto, the same person that social media reports at the time identified as the victim. 

Though the investigation found several areas the command could improve on, according to the summary, it did not recommend any accountability actions for killing a civilian. The investigation concluded the strike complied with the law of armed conflict.