US-led coalition airstrike near Manbij
Scores of Syrians killed in bombing of IS-held Manbij
Video: At least 56 civilians were killed - including 11 children - following air raids on Syria's Manbij area by US-led coalition war planes, observers have said.
2 min read
At least 56 civilians - including 11 children - were killed in US-led dawn air raids close to the Syrian city of Manbij early Tuesday morning.
Dozens of civilians were injured - some seriously - close to a northern Syrian village held by the Islamic State group, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
"Residents were fleeing the village of al-Tukhar in Aleppo province when the strikes hit," said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.
The air raids appeared to have been a mistake, with the civilians mistaken for IS fighters.
The Observatory - which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information - says it determines which planes carried out raids according to their type, location, flight patterns and the munitions involved.
Asked about the incident, the coalition had no immediate comment but said it was looking into the reports.
Press officer Ahmed al-Mohammed of the Syrian Institute for Justice put the number of dead at 85, saying that most were women and children and that ten homes were destroyed in the bombing.
Al-Tukhar lies 14 kilometres (nine miles) north of the town of Manbij, a key stronghold of IS in Aleppo province.
The Syrian Democratic Forces - an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters - backed by coalition war planes, broke into the western districts of Manbij in late June.
But their advance has been slowed in the past month because of landmines planted by the militants, who have also launched suicide attacks against the SDF.
On Monday, the Observatory reported at least 21 civilians dead in US-led coalition strikes on al-Tukhar and Manbij.
Dozens of civilians were injured - some seriously - close to a northern Syrian village held by the Islamic State group, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
"Residents were fleeing the village of al-Tukhar in Aleppo province when the strikes hit," said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.
The air raids appeared to have been a mistake, with the civilians mistaken for IS fighters.
The Observatory - which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information - says it determines which planes carried out raids according to their type, location, flight patterns and the munitions involved.
Asked about the incident, the coalition had no immediate comment but said it was looking into the reports.
Press officer Ahmed al-Mohammed of the Syrian Institute for Justice put the number of dead at 85, saying that most were women and children and that ten homes were destroyed in the bombing.
Al-Tukhar lies 14 kilometres (nine miles) north of the town of Manbij, a key stronghold of IS in Aleppo province.
The Syrian Democratic Forces - an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters - backed by coalition war planes, broke into the western districts of Manbij in late June.
But their advance has been slowed in the past month because of landmines planted by the militants, who have also launched suicide attacks against the SDF.
On Monday, the Observatory reported at least 21 civilians dead in US-led coalition strikes on al-Tukhar and Manbij.
Follow the Middle East's top stories in English at The New Arab on Google News
More In News
![Israeli forces ordered bombed Gaza's Jabalia, ordering residents to leave [Getty]](/sites/default/files/styles/image_156x88/public/2176418030.jpeg?h=a5f2f23a&itok=srmqckaL)
