Civilian toll from a US-led strike in Syria rises to 52

Reports say air raid mistakenly struck civilians in a village near the Euphrates River

A file image of a US Navy F/A-18C Hornet on a aircraft carrier.
A file image of a US Navy F/A-18C Hornet on a aircraft carrier.

The death toll from an air strike by US-led forces on the northern Syrian province of Aleppo on Friday has risen to 52 including seven children, a group monitoring the conflict said on Saturday.

US and Arab forces have been carrying out almost daily air raids against Islamist militant groups in Syria including the Islamic State since last September, and US-led forces are also targeting the group in Iraq.

The British-based Observatory for Human Rights said the air raid on Friday had mistakenly struck civilians in a village on the eastern banks of the Euphrates River in Aleppo, killing members of at least six families.

A file image showing armed rebel fighters  in the northern Syrian town of Jisr al-Shughur in April. Photograph: AFP
A file image showing armed rebel fighters in the northern Syrian town of Jisr al-Shughur in April. Photograph: AFP

The group said at least 13 people remain missing.

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The US has previously said it takes reports of civilian casualties from the US-led strikes seriously and says it has a process to investigate each allegation.

Reuters