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2:20
United States highlights efforts to prevent civilian casualties in Syria
The United States Department of Defense highlighted the efforts made to avoid civilian casualties in the military operation in Syria.
On Wednesday, the White House had confirmed that the terrorist Abu Ibrahim al Hashimi al Qureshi committed suicide in the middle of the operation carried out by US soldiers.
John Kirby, spokesman for the Pentagon, highlighted in a press conference that in the operation carried out, apart from the terrorist Al Qureshi who committed suicide by detonating a bomb in his residence, his wife and two children also died.
The death of one of his soldiers along with his wife was also confirmed in an exchange of fire with US soldiers, where a minor also died.
John Kirby emphasized that the soldiers would have made several calls to demand that the civilians who were inside the building leave.
In addition, he noted that at one point in the operation, Hayi Abdalá, as the terrorist was also known, detonated an explosive.
This act led to the members of the terrorist group to fire on the American soldiers, and thus the exchange of fire took place.
Kirby noted that the lives of at least 10 civilians, including four children, were spared.
In addition, he affirmed that the efforts to save the lives of civilians were not only carried out at the beginning of the operation, but also during the entry of the soldiers to the building " it was always in the orders and in the minds of the soldiers."
He also point out that the Pentagon, although it has not yet decided to conduct any investigation regarding civilian casualties, plans to do so.
Prior to Kirby's statement, President Joe Biden from the White House had confirmed the death of Al Qurashi in an explosion caused by himself in the operation carried out in northern Syria.
In his statement from the White House, Joe Biden had assured that the United States government had done everything in its power to save civilian lives.
Days ago, Lloyd Austin, who is Secretary of Defense, had ordered the development of a plan in 90 days to lower the rate of civilian deaths in US operations.
This order comes as a result of the controversy caused by the US airstrike in Kabul on August 29, which killed ten civilians, mostly children.
Although they admitted that it had been a mistake, the United States assured that there would be no punishment for those involved in the attack, since in these operations "there is collateral damage."
