Pentagon: Human error to blame for airstrikes against troops loyal to Syrian government

A Pentagon investigation has found that in September, a chain of human errors caused the U.S.-led coalition to fire more than 36 airstrikes against forces loyal to the Syrian government rather than Islamic State fighters.

Syria says 62 people were killed, but the U.S. says it has only been able to confirm 15 deaths. Secretary of State John Kerry called the incident in Deir al-Zour, Syria, a "terrible mistake," while Syrian President Bashar al-Assad asserts it was an intentional act. More than 70 military personnel from the U.S. and the coalition were interviewed for the four-page report, which declared that the "targets were struck in accordance with the law of armed conflict and the applicable rules of engagement for all nations involved."

The forces believed to be ISIS militants were not wearing recognizable uniforms, the report said, and they did not have unit flags or insignia or markings that could be observed. There were other reasons why they were misidentified, but those are still classified, NPR reports. It was the first time the U.S. coalition alerted Russia to inform them of an "imminent strike," the report said, but the coalition passed along incorrect coordinates. The airstrikes lasted for more than an hour, and ended four minutes after Russia told the coalition that Syrian regime forces were being hit. "In this instance, we did not rise to the high standard we hold ourselves to, and we must do better than this each and every time," Air Force Lt. Jeff Harrigian said Tuesday.

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