Civilians, Including Children ‘Likely’ Killed in Yemen Raid - US Military

Local Editor

The botched military raid in Yemen, which resulted in the death of a US special ops soldier, also "likely" caused collateral victims among civilians, possibly including children, the US Central Command admitted.

The US army admitted collateral damage during Sunday's strike on al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula [AQAP] that involved missiles and helicopter machine guns. Following extensive reports of civilian casualties, on Wednesday, the US Central Command acknowledged that civilians including children were "likely killed."

"The known possible civilian casualties appear to have been potentially caught up in aerial gunfire that was called in to assist US forces...," US Central Command said in a statement.

"The team designated by the operational task force has concluded regrettably that civilian non-combatants were likely killed in the midst of a firefight during a raid in Yemen Jan. 29.

Casualties may include children."

US forces had previously failed to acknowledge any civilian casualties, and said 14 AQAP militants were killed in the raid in al Bayda province. A US special operations soldier was also killed and three others wounded in the surprise operation.

Medics at the scene of al Bayda's rural Yakla district, however, said around 30 people, including 10 women and children, were killed, Reuters reported.

The highest death toll - 57 people, including 16 civilians, eight women and eight children among them - was cited by officials who spoke with AFP.

Sunday's military operation ordered by President Trump started at dawn with a drone strike on the house of Abdulraoof al-Dhahab, a senior Al-Qaeda leader.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team